You Got Me
by Betsy Pie
Summary: When James is challenged about his Wizard Chess abilities, he picks on one particular girl to play in front of all the Gryffindors. But will he get the kiss he has been promised by winning the game? Lots of chapters planned for this one, so stick around for the adventure! Mucho love for my reviewers and followers as THIS IS MY FIRST FANFICTION! Thanks to Trueman for all her help xx
1. The Game

**James + Lily – You Got Me**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, it all belongs to JK Rowling!**

**By the way, here is my dreamcast for the Marauder's, just so you can see where I am going with this:**

**James Potter – Aaron Johnson**

**Lily Evans – Karen Gillan**

**Sirius Black – Ben Barnes**

**Remus Lupin – Andrew Garfield**

**Peter Pettigrew - Jamie Bell**

**Alice Prewett – Carey Mulligan**

**Frank Longbottom – Jim Sturgess**

**Severus Snape – Charlie Cox? (no one is as good as Alan Rickman!)**

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"Checkmate!" shouted Sirius, as Remus' last remaining red chess piece crumbled on the worn-out chessboard. All the Gryffindor turned to glare at the rowdy group of four boys, lounging around on what they claimed to be their territory on the soft plushy sofas in front of the roaring fire.

"That is so not fair – you always win, Padfoot!"

"It's because I'm a genius at wizard chess, _obviously_…"

James laughed at his friends bickering. "However," said Sirius, sitting up from his slouching position, "I will never be as good as our dear friend, Mr. Potter."

"Oh, come off it Sirius, Potter couldn't win against a _girl_!" sneered Owen Thomas from the other side of the Gryffindor common room, followed by a round of jeering from the crowd around him.

"Oh yeah?" James threatened, standing up and glaring directly at Owen.

He looked around the room, before shouting at one particular girl, sat in the corner of the room, a group of her giggling friends huddled around her. "Oi, Evans!" he shouted, his eyes twinkling.

"What now, Potter?" she snapped back, clearly irritated by the young boy with the messy black hair.

"Fancy a game of chess?" he replied, a smile itching his lips. Lily Evans stood up and folded her arms defensively across her chest. "What's in it for me?"

"If you win, I'll stop giving your friend Snivellus the swirly in Moaning Myrtle's cubicle for a month-"

"Two months…"

"Fine, two months then!" he agreed, Sirius clearly getting agitated by James' side.

Then James slowly made his way across the room, towards Lily, before stopping only about a metre or so away from her. "You may continue," she said confidently.

"And if I win," James said, his tone soft and seductive. He was now only several inches away from Lily's clearly unimpressed face. "Then you have to kiss me," he whispered as his cheek brushed her burning red hair, his words tickling her ear. James then stepped back several paces, one eyebrow raised questioningly, his lip folded in under his top row of teeth. "So what do you say then, Evans?"

After a long pause, with everyone in the common room looking at either James or Lily in aid anticipation, she unfolded her arms and placed one on her hips. "You're on, Potter," Lily said, making her way across the room to sit on the hearthrug by the chessboard (that had now rearranged itself, ready to play again) by the fire as everyone in the room cheered and gathered around the sofa, all eager to see who would win.

As soon as James had managed to push through all the Gryffindors and sit down opposite Lily, she said firmly and loudly to James over the general muttering of everyone around, "After I kick your ass at this game, Potter, you had better keep your promise about Severus."

"Or what?" he replied, in just a serious tone as Lily's, as she glared at him. Suddenly, to James' surprise (and everyone else's) she whipped out her wand and jabbed it underneath his chin. His cocky smile instantly faltered. "Or else, Potter."

Everybody in the school knew that, Muggle-born though she was, Lily Evans was one of the most skilled witches in the entire school. A threat from her was enough to wipe the smile off even James Potter's face.

"Evans, as long as you keep your side of the bargain, I'll keep mine, ok?" he said, as she stowed her wand away back in her pocket, before she did something so curious, even James' brows furrowed.

"Pinky swear?" she said quietly, holding out her delicate fifth finger towards James, not letting herself look away from his sparkling blue-grey eyes. "Pinky swear." He said, interlocking his own finger with hers. As he looked into her big, green eyes, something in him jolted. It was a weird feeling, something he had never felt before, but all he knew was he never wanted to stop that feeling. He could have held her gaze forever, just staring into her deep eyes reflecting the dancing fire beside them, but she pulled her finger away from his touch too quickly, and she broke eye contact.

"Let's play then Potter." And they did.

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**Review please! :D xx**


	2. Aftershock

**James + Lily – You Got Me**

**DISCLAIMER: Again, J. owns it all…**

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Lily sat in her dormitory, alone. _Deep breaths, Lily, deep breaths_ she told herself. She could still hear all the goings-on in the common room just down the staircase outside her door. The dormitory span around her, and she realized how deeply humiliated she had just been. There was a knock on the door, before Lily's best friend Alice entered. Alice Prewett was in the year above Lily, but she was head girl and got on really well with Lily.

"Hey Lils," she said, closing the heavy wooden door softly behind her as she sat on the edge of Lily's bed. Lily grunted in reply, head buried in her pillow. "How're you getting on with that Potion's essay? Its due next we- oh, you've already finished it. I should've known, it being Potions and all…" Lily said nothing.  
"Oh, come on, Lily! It's only one kiss you've promised to James! I'm sure you could get away with just giving him one on the cheek or whatever, you don't have to _snog_ him or anything, right?"

Lily sat up from her bed, and leant her head on Alice's comforting shoulder. "I guess I'll just ignore him for a while, it can't be that hard. People will lose interest with the fact I haven't kissed him and all the hype will die down, right?"  
"Right."  
"Right."  
"Riiiiiight…"  
"Right?"  
"Right. Hey Lily, can I ask you something?" said Alice, getting up and walking around the dormitory, gently studying a large portrait in the corner.  
"Um, sure…"  
"And you promise you'll answer me honestly? Because, you know, I'm kind of your best friend."  
"Why wouldn't I?" Lily asked, relaxing on the headboard of her bed, arms crossed anxiously. Alice sighed and sat directly facing the girl in question, and gave her a very serious look. Her big brown eyes studied Lily, seemingly weighing up options and debating how to word her question.

"Lily, why have I got a feeling that you actually want to kiss James?"

Suddenly, the evening's events replayed in Lily's head. _How she started winning, how she began to destroy piece after piece of Potter's black chess pieces, how she felt so much pride surge through her, followed by despair and helplessness as she watched her victory crumble away before her like the remaining chess pieces she had. James' victory hit her hard, and she suddenly she had found herself standing in a very close proximity to the Potter boy, wishing that not every Gryffindor was watching, eyes wide open at the snog session that loomed in the atmosphere. And then she had thrown it all away and said "Another day, Potter."_

Lily just wanted to kick herself. She postponed the kiss, and now she has to make the effort to go and kiss James Potter, _the_ James Potter sometime before he forces it on an awkward situation. And the more and more she found herself dreading it, the more she realized how much she was thinking about what it would feel like to kiss him…

"Lily?" Alice seemed to snap her out of her daydream, but realized Alice was right. She _did_ want to kiss James. Lily Evans nodded slowly, like she couldn't believe it herself.  
"I can hear the other's coming, Lily. I had better go, but I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"  
"Yeah. See you Al." Lily drew the curtains around her four-poster bed, as she heard the others come into the dormitory. She knew none of them would bother her on such a night like this. Still in shock about what happened and all of her feelings getting tangled up in her head, she fell asleep.

"Well, it was a close try, James, and it doesn't mean she won't _ever_ kiss you, right?" squeaked Peter Pettigrew, whose voice still hadn't broken, as the four Marauders walked up the staircase to their dormitory. James grunted in reply, he didn't want to think about it, talk about it, he just wanted to wait until the others were asleep so he could go and raid the kitchens. Maybe the house elves would give him an extra large piece of cake if he told them about what had happened. "Think about it like tea, Prongs," said Remus Lupin as they stumbled into their dormitory, and sat on their beds in a huff, "The longer you leave it to sit, the better it is when you finally drink it. If she _had_ kissed you tonight, it mightn't have been more than a peck on the cheek, but if you leave it longer she might give you a proper snog or something."  
"Shut up, Moony!" James growled as he chucked a pillow at his friend. Sirius Black and Remus sniggered at their friend's love-lorn life.

"James, if you're pining after Evans this badly, just ask her out! Don't complicate the female species with clever quips and deals that they don't understand!" said Sirius, facing James in the bed next to him.  
"You know she'll just say no, Padfoot. There's no use trying anymore. She'll never go out with someone like me."  
"Someone like you? Are you nuts? Agrippa's sake, James, every other girl in the school is hankering after you! You threaten most other guys in Gryffindor by just being, well, you! Man up, Prongs! You can have almost any girl you choose! You don't have to have Lily." Sirius said, as the others nodded in agreement.  
"Yes I do! Despite all the supposedly fit birds that are supposedly lusting after me or whatever – and some of them are pretty fit, I gotta say – she is the only girl that has ever made me feel like this. It's just so bloody frustrating! You know, when I was 14 I had this image in my head of us being married and having a kid and stuff and since then I've just not been the same, it's like anything else is just _wrong_ to me, you know?"  
"Naaaw, James is in looooove!" Sirius sing-songed, as the other boys 'awwwed'.  
"Stuff you guys. I'm leaving," snapped James, as he swiped up his map, cloak, and wand up from his bedside table and stormed out of the room, door swinging behind him.  
"Bring me some back, Prongs!" shouted Remus after him, the dormitory still in laughter.

James was mortified, and yet so frustrated. How could he let himself get so close to kissing Lily Evans – I mean come on, it was Lily Evans for God's sake – and miss out big time like that?

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**Review please! Thanks already for the feedback for chapter 1, guys, I didn't think anyone would like it! So much love to GryffindorRAWR, SparklesJamesLilyHSM13, stillwaiting4u, ginnyandharryluvr, jholms, siriusblacklover24, emiily15, weasleys wizard wheezes2012 and my two anonymous reviewers – you are all as lovely as bakewell tarts on Thursday afternoons… Mucho love guys, the next chapter will be on the way soon :D xx**


	3. Breakfast in November

**DISCLAIMER: Again, J. owns it all…**

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It was late November in the Hogwarts castle, and, as it always did around this time of year, light dustings of snow were beginning to fall around the autumn leaves on the grounds. Lily loved this time of year: everything was auburn, golden, and white, and mostly matched her fiery hair.

For James Potter, however, wintertime was the worst in consideration for his Quidditch training: he had a team reputation to maintain! Any other time of year and he would be out at 6:30am, jogging around campus, and then Quidditch practice for the team (Sirius, the late riser, being a constant exception to the captain's rule) before breakfast. He did not want the Gryffindor team to be slacking, but even he couldn't help having a lie-in twice a week.

_"She does love you James! She's just too shy to say it! Kiss her anyway!" shouted Alice Prewett, who was stood with a dazed looking Sirius and a proud looking Remus from afar. James looked to his right. There she stood, perfectly glowing in the snowy scene. Her cheeks were a plushy pink, her nose was a little bit red, and her lips were scarlet and smooth. And as for her fiery red hair, well, it was as beautiful as always. She smiled up at him and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss the tall Potter boy on the cheek. Just before her lips met his cold, cold cheek, he turned his head and she kissed him. She really kissed him. And he responded with just as much enthusiasm. His gloves cupped her rosy cheeks as they embraced, snowflakes gently falling. Even though their mouths were still in full contact, James could hear Lily's voice, soft and sweet, calling his name. "James? James! James…"_

Suddenly, what appeared to be Lily's voice roughened, and transformed into the familiar tone of Sirius Black, his best friend, apparently much nearer to James' face than comfortable. "Morning, handsome!" he yelled, as James opened his eyes and a blurry image of Sirius' face was inches away from his own.  
"Gerroff, Padfoot!" he growled, rolling over to his bedside table and fumbling around for his glasses.  
"Time for breakfast, I think! What do you say, Archie?" said Sirius playfully, looking fondly down at his stomach, love in his eyes.  
"For the last time, Sirius, your stomach does not need a name!" moaned James as he rolled out of bed, carelessly pulling his robes on and trying to jerk his holey socks on all at once. "Besides," Potter continued, quickly checking his ruffled hair in the mirror, "Remus has his watch to know when it is officially too late for the Marauders to appear at breakfast, isn't that right, Moony? How long have we got, my furry friend?" Remus Lupin rolled his eyes, and looked at his watch habitually. "Well, if we run then we'll be able to have a full 20 minutes at the table…Long enough for you?" he said to the three boys, even though Peter had said nothing to any of his roommates all morning.  
"Sounds good – let's go."

"Hey, Alice, you don't think the guys will turn up for breakfast, do you? I couldn't bear the remarks from the other Gryffindors if both me and James were in the same – oh dear God…" began Lily, before she looked up from her breakfast as the four boys ran into the Great Hall carelessly, everyone turning to look at them. _So bloody famous, the Marauders_, she thought. _I mean, who even calls themselves 'Marauders'? Stupid name for stupid, prattish, big-headed, gits, some of which have amazing figures and gorgeous hair – No Lily! They're all just arrogant and snooty. That is all._ They ran past where Lily was sitting with Alice, Alice's dorm mate Hestia, and Lily's other roommates, Marlene, Anna, and Mary, after which Marlene commented quietly so just Lily, who was sat on her left, could hear. "Lily, I swear Sirius just winked at Hestia…"  
"So what if he did?" Lily replied distantly, her big, green eyes still following the boys as they swaggered over to their usual spot around 10 feet down the long tables from where the girls were sat.  
"Oh, no reason, I was just…being observant, that's all," Marlene said quietly, picking at the leftovers of food on her plate with her fork.

"Everything alright, Mar?" commented Hestia loudly. Hestia was always known for being loud and cocky, and everyone knew her for also being a bit of a slut. There was most definitely a rumour going round that she'd slept with Sirius Black a few times, but nobody really cared that much – you never questioned anything the Marauders did.

Marlene nodded, but she got up and took her plate over to the dirty plate stand near the Gryffindor table. "See you guys in class," she whispered, as she turned on her heel and walked straight out of the hall. Barely anybody noticed but Lily.

"Frank!" said Alice happily, as she skipped out of her seat and gave her approaching boyfriend a light hug and a kiss on the cheek. She led him by the hand over to her friends table, and she sat on his lap as he began to eat, nodding politely to Lily and Anna.  
"Ewwww, public affection! I'm off," said Hestia carelessly, bouncing over to where the Marauders were sat, laughing as they always were. Lily groaned, wondering what trouble Hestia would be causing just out of earshot.

"Lily and Ja-ames, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" squealed some Gryffindor girls as they flounced past Lily, giggling and applying their lip-gloss as they made kissy faces at her. She just poked her tongue out at them and didn't let it bother her. Lily just rolled her eyes and continued eating her cornflakes, looking (without reading) at the Daily Prophet sprawled out on the table in front of her, Alice and Frank embracing each other as they always did opposite her, Mary and Anna passionately involved in a conversation about Pigmy Puffs.

James' brows furrowed as he looked longingly down the dining tables at Lily Evans. A group of giggling girls had just passed her, making some silly song up about the two of them kissing or something. Her reaction had just been rolling her eyes and going back to swirling her cereal, as she always did, as her friends ignored her. _She just looks so lonely over there, nobody is paying her any attention,_ he thought. His train of thought was interrupted by a sudden silence around him that caught his attention. James turned around to face all three of his friends (plus Hestia Thompson) looking at him expectantly. "Sorry, what were you saying?" James coughed. Sirius was about to repeat the question, when Hestia, who was leaning over from behind Sirius, jumped in. "When are you going to apologize for embarrassing Lily last night? She was pretending to be sleeping when we went up to our dorm last night, but she looked pretty upset." Hestia's eyebrows were raised carelessly, obviously not realizing that her question tugged on a string inside James. _Did I really embarrass her that badly? Surely she must know that I'd never mean to hurt her in public or whatever – I hate it when people tell me I've upset Lily. How can I make it up to her?_

However, he managed to compose himself despite all the questions going around his head and give a half-decent, totally James-ish answer instead. "Don't know what you mean. Me and Lils - I mean Evans, made a deal. She promised to kiss me, I wasn't embarrassing her when _she_ was the one who chose to postpone giving me a snog, so it's her fault if she's embarrassed. I have nothing to do with it, _I_ am on the receiving end of the deal because _I _won the game. Fair and square! You were all there, you all know what happened." For Hestia, this seemed a good enough answer (for a girl who honestly didn't care much for the subject, just wanted to stir a bit of gossip), so she just quipped "Okey dokey then. See you!" before adding "Bye, Sirius…" as she blew a kiss, strutting back down to the table where only Alice was left.

Remus, James and Peter all raised an eyebrow at Sirius, but he just shrugged. "What?!"

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**Reviews are nicer than Kit-Kats at 10:30am…Thanks for all the positive feedback so far guys – keep reviewing and writing to me! I love getting all your comments and hearing your response and if you have an idea you think could go into this story then please, PLEASE share it with me! Apart from the upcoming few chapters I still have a lot of leeway with a majority of the storyline, so any suggestions are welcomed with a hug! **

**PS: I am afraid you are just going to have to get used to the change in chapter length, guys! It all just goes with how I'm writing, and when I feel that chapter has come to a natural-sounding end then I'll just end it! Also, if you would like to feedback whether you prefer longer or shorter chapters, then please tell me!**


	4. Potions with the Slytherins

**DISCLAIMER: It's Jo Ro's, guys… **

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Lily was already running late. The empty corridors, the full classrooms: naughty students already stood outside, waiting for punishment. Part of her was dying of mortal embarrassment at being late (she hated it) and part of her just wanted to do the typical Marauder's thing and skip it: what Gryffindor would want to be on time for Potions with the Slytherins? She ran down the veranda, looking out onto the courtyard. _Agrippa's sake,_ she thought, _Slughorn is going to kill me!_ As it happened, she reached the dungeons in just under fifteen minutes, and managed to slip into the classroom unnoticed. Or so she thought.

"Miss Evans!" exclaimed Professor Slughorn, turning around from his demonstration to the class about Amortentia. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd arrive!"  
"I'm ever so sorry, Professor, I was helping a first-year find Professor McGonagall, who asked me to send a message to Professor Binns who said he didn't know who McGonagall was, and then I had to go and find Professor Dumbledore to tell him that Peeves had been agitating Professor Sprout again, and then -"  
"Oh, that's quite alright, Lily: you know all about Amortentia anyway. We are making some today, which should be fine with you, of course?"  
"Of course, professor." She replied with a grin, setting her books down on an empty table.

Professor Slughorn turned back to the class. "Now everybody, since the catastrophic events that happened last week when attempting Cure to common boils -" he glared directly at James and Sirius, who both mocked a bow courteously "This week _I_ shall be pairing you all up. All the girls reposition yourself onto an empty table like Miss Evans has done, and boys come and find out who you will be working with on today's project. You have two hours! Good luck, everybody."

Most of the boys pushed to the front of the classroom, trying to get a peek at the board with all the partners on: who would get to sit next to Lily Evans today? Only one boy instantly sat down without bothering to push amongst all of the other guys: Severus Snape.

"Hi Lily," he mumbled, as he sat in the vacant seat next to her.  
"Hey Sev – I thought Slughorn said _he _was choosing our partner's this week?"  
"So? We all know I'd be put next to you anyway. It's no big deal: he knows we can both brew Amortentia in our sleep, it's that easy," he shrugged, pulling his equipment out of his bag.  
"Well _some_ people find it harder, so it's more likely I'll be put next to someone who _doesn't_ find brewing potions as easy as we do, so I can actually _help -_"  
"Morning, Evans," cut in Sirius Black, as he approached the table where Lily and Severus were sitting.  
"Go away, Black, me and Lily are working together, like always," sneered the greasy-haired boy.  
"Well _actually_, Snivellus, my dear friend, Slughorn has had the brilliant initiative of pairing Miss Lily here with _me_…You can go and read the board, if you'd like to check." At this, Snape got up and walked off, angry, as Sirius slid next to Lily, who was clearly unimpressed.

"If you're going to talk to me about Potter then you can bog off and you can try and make this stupid potion yourself, Black," she said, already miles ahead of everyone else in making the potion.  
"Stupid potion? Why, my dear Lily, Amortentia is brilliant! It's the most powerful love potion in the world…You could use some, Evans, since your relationship with James isn't exactly amazing, is it?"  
"In case you haven't noticed, Black, I am not, and have no intention of being, in a relationship with James Potter. I mean look at him!" they both turned around to see James admiring himself in the reflection of a glass cabinet at the back of the room, while his irritated partner Trisha Stout attempted to brew her potion. "What do you mean 'look at him'?" asked Sirius.  
"He's so busy being in love with himself that he doesn't need a potion," she mumbled, returning to stirring her cauldron in front of her.

"Ahhh, I get it," quipped Sirius with a sly smile, leaning over to face Lily.  
"Get what? Your best friend loves himself. Deal with it."  
"You said he doesn't _need_ a potion. That means you're _already_ in love with him!" he laughed loudly, a few heads turning.  
"I so am not!"  
"You are!"  
"Am not!"

"You so are! Lily you are and you know it," he said, grinning.  
"Black. Listen. I like you. We're friends, right? I would only tell you the truth. I. Hate. James. Capiche?"  
"Evans. I like you. We're friends. I'm having a New Year's Eve party. Now, I know all you do in the holidays is sit around with your family, bored out of your brains, so you're coming. Capri?"  
"That's not even how you pronounce it, you know."  
"I don't care, Evans."  
"Just saying."

A comfortable silence passed between them as Lily continued brewing the potion.

"Ginger, as your friend, can I ask you something?" Lily raised a quizzical eyebrow, but beckoned for her friend to continue.  
"Why are you so embarrassed about what happened? Why didn't you just kiss him?" She remained quiet and thoughtful for a moment, before she gave her potion one final stir and sat down next to Sirius. "Do you really want to know?"  
"Yep."  
"I wanted to win. I mean, I _really_ wanted to win."  
"Why? It's just a game of chess, Lily."  
"But me and Ja– I mean, Potter, made a deal. If I won, he'd stop bullying one of my best friends. But I didn't, so Sev's going to be bullied by you lot for the rest of his life and it's my fault."  
"No it's not. I think we'd probably have carried on bullying him anyway." Lily made a face and punched him in the arm.  
"Ow! Hey, Evans, calm down, I'm just being honest!" Sirius rubbed his arm where she had hit him, wincing.

"Five more minutes, everybody!" called Slughorn, with a smile directed in Lily's direction. Several people groaned.  
"But to be honest, Evans -"  
"Professor! We've finished!" called Lily over the top of Sirius. He rolled his eyes as she smiled politely back at him.  
"Well, I'm off, Ginger. Just remember that you know you like him, and that you should really get to know him. Give him a chance?" Lily huffed in response, shoving her books into her bag angrily. "Fine. Catch you later, Lilypad," said Sirius with a wink, as he turned around to walk out the door.  
"Wait!" Lily called after him. He turned around, unsurprised. "I'll…I'll come – to your p-party, thing…"  
"Knew you would, Evans!" he called over his shoulder. "See you!"  
"See you, Black!"

Lily left the lesson in a good mood. Even if things with James weren't exactly straightened out in her head yet, she still was friends with Sirius.

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**Please review, guys! Love you all :D xx**


	5. The Cherry Tree

**DISCLAIMER: Work of Rowling…**

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"Frank?" said Alice, looking at her boyfriend, clearly oblivious to the questions she was asking him. He just looked straight back at her.  
"Ok, did you hear a word of what I just said?"  
"Sorry, Al, I didn't…" he confessed. "What were you saying?"  
"I was just _saying_ that we should try and meet up more this Christmas holidays. Last year I barely saw you at all, and you hardly answered your letters. I mean, I was talking to your mother by owl more than I was to you! And you know how bored I get being with my father rabitting on about Astronomy stuff that nobody understands and my older brother Lucas just spends every minute of his up in his tower looking at the stars and rubbing the dust vigorously off of his _special telescope_ like it's some magic lamp or something. Plus my grandmother's coming for Christmas, and I don't want to retell the entire year at Hogwarts for her. So what do you think?"  
"Huh? Oh, um, yeah, sounds great."

Frank went back to staring at the scenery around him: _the crunchy grass that had stopped growing by now, the few students scattered around the grounds, most of which are inside having their lunch, where he would rather be right now but his girlfriend insists the weather is good for him, their 'stuff' sprawled out on the blanket underneath them, with books and pencils and their lunchboxes, mostly empty. And then there's the withered cherry tree under which they sit. He remembers how over a year ago, it was here, pink blossom falling around her, her chocolate brown hair glowing boldly in the Spring sunlight, that he fell for her. He remembered the book, how she tucked a piece of her short hair behind her ear, and how she looked up and smiled that amazing smile at him._

All of a sudden, he was tugged out of his daydream, their memory of what else had happened under that tree, as she slapped him hard and sharp around the head. Instantly his relaxed figure straightened up in shock, as he patted his cheek where she hit him, now a glowing pink colour. For a moment, she looked proud of herself and conveyed anger, but then her confident figure slumped and she put her hands in her lap, looking down at them, almost disappointedly.  
"Sorry, Frank."  
"No, it's ok, I deserved that."

A few minutes passed, and they were just sat there, under their special tree.

"Tell me, Frank," she said.  
"I was just remembering how it was under this tree that I fell for you." She blushed and punched him in the arm, lightly.  
"No, I'm being serious! You were reading 'Jane Eyre' for Muggle Studies, and there was all the cherry blossom all around you, and -"  
"I fell for you too, you know." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  
"Hey, is that James?" he said, suddenly interested and looking over towards the castle to a waving figure with messy black hair.  
"Huh?"  
"James, James Potter?"  
"Yes, it is. Why?"  
"No reason. Hey Al, do you know if Lily likes him back?"  
"Back what?"  
"Well he obviously likes her. He's been pining after her for, like, 3 years or something. I was just wondering whether anything could possibly happen, you know, between them or something."  
"Really?"  
"Well, yeah, I mean they're completely different, but I guess we're completely different, aren't we?"  
"Yeah, I guess we are."  
"And we're also headboy and headgirl?"  
"What's that got to do with anything?"  
"Well there's a rumour that they'll end up taking our positions next year…"  
"Don't be silly, Frank, they don't decide that at least until summer term…"  
"Well I was just saying…It'd be cool if they were, though, wouldn't it?"  
"Hmmm. Frank?"  
"Yeah?"  
"You have cucumber on your collar."

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**Ok, so this chapter was a bit iffy but I'm trying not to rush the story too much if you get what I mean? Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, please review because I am ever so lonely fanfiction-wise…Thanks guys! :D xx**


	6. Revision, revision, revision

**DISCLAIMER: Same old, same old…**

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_It is the nature of matter to have form. The form might be that of a pig or of a rabbit or of a hat. If the cohesiveness of one form is disturbed by someone's intention, it will then attempt to take another form, another shape. The appearance of the other form or the other shape depends in great part upon the will, or intent, of the witch or wizard who disturbed the original organization of the form. It also depends upon the will, or intent, of that which was transformed…_ "Oi, Evans!" yelled James Potter from the other side of the common room.  
"Go away, Potter, can't you see I'm trying to study?!" shrieked Lily Evans in reply, probably more harshly than it was intended to come out, running an angry hand through her burning red hair.  
"Sheesh, calm down, Evans, I was only wondering if you wanted any help! You look like you're having a rough time learning about _Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration_ over in your little corner…"  
"Help? Help! How dare you?! I'm doing perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much! I don't need any help from…from…someone like…someone like you!"  
"Someone like me?" he said, sitting down in the chair opposite the stressed Gryffindor girl. "Please do explain further how people like me cannot offer help to a poor someone like you…" he said with a grin.  
"Yes, someone like you, Potter. Someone who doesn't give a damn about his lessons and thinks it's ok to just muck about with your mates all the time when other people are struggling are trying to get the best mark in a lesson they were forced to take!" Lily was absolutely yelling now, the entire common room getting annoyed with the sudden rise in volume level. After a pause, James said, "So…you _are_ struggling?"  
"NO! What on earth makes you think that, Potter?"  
"Well you've been sat there for an hour and you haven't turned the page yet. You've been looking at that opening paragraph for way to long for you to really be -"  
"Just GO AWAY James! I am perfectly capable of doing my Transfiguration revision by myself!"  
"Ok, sweetheart, calm down. Jamesy is only going to be on the sofa if you need him to help, you know, being top of the class in Transfiguration and all…" he said happily, making his way back over to his growing crowd over by the sofas in front of the fire, as Lily mumbled something he didn't quite catch.  
"Did you say something, Evans?" he asked, spinning round to face her again.  
"I said I'm not your sweetheart."  
"Aren't you?!" he asked sarcastically.  
"Bog off, Potter."

Lily heard talking from the sofas after James had left her. _What's he telling them now?_ she thought. After a moment of conversation she couldn't quite hear – but of course, she definitely _wasn't_ eavesdropping – Sirius shouted over to her.  
"Lilypad! I am ever so disappointed in you! What happened to giving him a chance and trying to get to know him?" James looked both shocked and surprised at this.  
"Well maybe I'd follow through with that if he wasn't being such a prick!"  
"He was only offering to help you with your homework! He's not actually winding you up, and he is pretty good at Transfiguration, so any help from him is going to be of use to you Lily and you know it! I think you should apologize, my sweet…" he said with a disappointed sigh.  
"Black, I am not your sweet!"  
"So? Just say you're sorry, Lily. It's not going to dent your pride or anything by just admitting you shouldn't have shouted at someone who was trying to help you."  
"Fine. James?" she snapped bitterly.  
"Uh ye- What did you call me?" asked James, standing up to face Lily again in almost disbelief.  
"Your name. Or have you changed it since I spoke to you 5 minutes ago?"  
"Well actually you kind of shouted -"  
"Well if you'd give me a second to actually say what I have to say to you -"  
"Wait a second, wait a second…You called me James?"  
"Mmm-hmm." Lily was clearly unimpressed. James however, looked stunned and completely out of words.  
"Oh. Wow. Ok. Um, that's cool." He ran a nervous hand through his messy black hair.  
"What's your point?" she snapped.  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. What were you saying, um, Lily?"  
"I said I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted when you were offering to help me with my revision. Ok?"  
"Thanks, Ev- I mean, thanks, Lily…" he said, genuinely smiling (although this went unnoticed by Lily, whose head was back down in her big textbook), as he sat back down, facing everyone else sat around him gawking at him.  
"Got a problem, guys?" he asked in a tone nobody could mess with, and everyone went back to their own business. Under his breath, so only James could hear, Sirius said "First-name basis now, Prongsy! Get in there…"  
"Shut _up_, Padfoot!"  
"Sorry…"

So there they all were: James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Anna, Marlene, Hestia, Alice, and Frank; all sat by the fire, laughing and having fun, while poor old Lily was stuck looking at the dry, meaningless pages piled in front of her. Every so often, her gaze would wander from her incredibly thick and incredibly heavy textbook over to the boy with the messy black hair, just a few metres away on that plush red sofa…

_Focus, Lily, focus_, she thought. _A pencil doesn't appear to care much whether it is a pin or a pencil. A rabbit doesn't seem to have much of a choice if a witch or wizard has a desire for a fluffy slipper. The odds, then, of the original witch or wizard attaining their desired goal of what something is changed into, with a pencil or a rabbit, are very good, as long as they can keep their intention steady while the process is_… "Oh, for Agrippa's sake, Lily, you can stuff a packet of marshmallows in your mouth and say 'Chubby Bunny' but you can't digest one page of a stupid textbook…" she said to herself, head in her hands.

"Hey, Lils?" shouted Alice from across the room. Lily's face lit up with a smile, as she waved.  
"Come on and sit with us! You've been doing _way_ too much work this evening, and you don't have Transfiguration again for ages, so just don't worry about it and come and have some fun!" Alice put out her hand and beckoned Lily to come away from her seat.  
"I thought you were meant to be the responsible headgirl encouraging her fellow students to get their revision done on time!" said Lily, still making no effort to leave her comfortable little corner table.  
"But I'm also your best friend, and for the past ten minutes James Potter's been mumbling about how much he wishes Lily would come and join in because she looks ever so lonely over there, minding her own business -"  
"I think that's quite enough, Alice…"warned Frank, squeezing her hand and encouraging her to stop, for the colour on James' face was deepening with every word Alice said.

Lily laughed. "Well, if Pot – I mean, James, wants me to come and join in with whatever game you lot are playing over there, then maybe he should ask me himself!" she said, turning back to her abnormally large textbook with a smirk etched on her face, not quite invisible. "Fine!" he shouted, as he got up abruptly from his seat on the sofa and plonked himself down opposite Lily, who was smiling at him sarcastically.  
"Lily Evans, will you _please_ come and join me and my friends by the fireplace?" he sighed, still smiling expectantly at her.  
"Umm, let me think about- err, no." he poked his tongue out at her, and she replied the gesture, sticking her head behind her book.

"Well, then, Miss Lily, what _would_ make you come and join us?"  
"Ooh, I don't know about that, Mr. James…How about you surprise me, and I see whether I like it or not?" she laughed loudly and clenched her hands tightly around the bindings of the book. James reached across the mahogany table and tried to inch the book away out of her hands, but she was clenching onto it too strongly. He tried pushing her chair out from under the table using his feet, but she was quick enough to kick him out of the way, her head still buried in her book. "You're going to have to try harder than that, James!"

He sighed, almost ready to give up. He stood up, tucked his chair under (that made an awful noise against the only uncarpeted piece of flooring in the common room), and began to walk away. All of a sudden, he swirled round, and scooped her up in his arms, knowing there was nothing she could do about it but flail around and scream, which she did quite well.

"JAMES POTTER! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW YOU SLIMY ARROGANT TOE-RAG!" she screamed as she was carried underneath James' arm across the common room. In fact, James thought it would be funnier to just walk around with Lily completely unable to do anything over and over again. She continued to scream and hit him on the arm as hard as she could. Everybody was laughing and even though she would never admit it, Lily was too. It was getting to the point of hilarious when all of a sudden a crisp voice cut through the warm laughing atmosphere of the Gryffindor common room. "WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!"

Everything stopped dead. James quickly put Lily down on her feet safely, who was smoothing down her skirt and attempting to sort her hair out, as Professor McGonagall walked across the room, her heels still managing to click menacingly on the carpeted floor as she approached Lily and James, who were stood embarrassed and red-faced at the back of the room. All eyes were on them, and it was dead silent. Even some of the first-years who had already gone to their dormitories were peeking out of their door and edging themselves down the staircase to get a peek at what was going on.

"Miss Evans, I expect better from you than all of this…this…_frivolity_ and antics at such a time at night, when others will be studying! You should be ashamed of yourself. And Mr. Potter, you know you are on one of your last warnings. Detention for both of you for the rest of the week." They both nodded their heads understandingly as the professor turned on her heel and began to walk away. "Wait, Professor!" said Lily, as everyone turned to look back at her, including both a shocked James beside her and the usual no-nonsense face of McGonagall. "It wasn't James' fault, professor, it was mine. I was challenging him and I know he wouldn't have done it if I hadn't provoked him. I'll have two weeks, professor, it wasn't his fault." Lily's head hung low, her red hair framing her rosy face, as James looked at her in shock and yet in awe.  
"Very well, Miss Evans. Potter, you are released from your detention. Lily, you will serve two weeks. Clear?"  
"Clear," they both agreed.

She turned to walk away, and Lily went back over to her table to pick up her heavy book. She placed it on her hip (like one would to a baby) so it would be supported and she made her way up the staircase. Nobody said a word to her.

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**Hope you guys are enjoying the story, please, please, PLEASE review! Thanks a lot :D xx**


	7. Jam Sandwiches Part 1

**DISCLAIMER: Characters belong to J. , as ever…**

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It was 12:30pm at Hogwarts on that chilly Friday, and Lily and her friends braved the cold to sit outside for the last time before the snow was forecast to fall, and they would not be able to sit in their favourite spot near the windows of the Great Hall.

"Lily, how come Muggles only eat pork pies in the summer? It must be awfully hard, waiting all those months in the winter to eat pork pies again…" said Marlene, gazing at _her_ pork pie longingly.  
"What makes you think that?" replied Lily, "Muggles eat pork pies all year round, Mar, I don't know where you got that idea from!"  
"Oh alright, it's just I couldn't stop thinking about it," she squealed happily, taking a big bite out of hers.  
"You couldn't stop thinking…about pork pies?" asked Lily, confused.  
"It's just James was talking about pork pies yesterday, and I really do love pork pies."  
"Shut up, Mar, everyone knows you hate pork pies, you always have!" snapped Hestia, who up until now had been completely silent.  
"Well _obviously_ if James _Potter_ has been talking about pork pies, then they _must_ be the best food on the planet!" laughed Lily, unwrapping her sandwiches.

"Did someone say James Potter?" said James, approaching the group of girls with Sirius, Remus and Peter.  
"Lily did!" replied Alice instantly with a sly grin, followed by a nasty glare from Lily. Alice laughed as James shrugged, sitting down on the large picnic blanket the girls were gathered on. "Well, funnily enough, I came to talk to Lily. Do you…" she raised her eyebrows questioningly. "…want to go for a walk?" he asked.  
"What – now?" said Lily, clutching her sandwiches tightly.  
"Well, yeah, if that's ok…I mean you don't have to if you don't want -"  
"No, it's fine, I'll go." Lily gathered up her things and waved goodbye to her friends as her and James walked off, leaving Sirius and the others with a group of giggling girls.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, James and Lily made their way down to the lake, which was quite a long way from where they had left. James had waited until they had both found a good, dry rock to sit on the bank of the GreatLake until he spoke.  
"Lily, can I ask you something?" he asked, running a nervous hand through his hair. Lily took a bite out of her jam sandwich and nodded.  
"Why did you take the blame last night? You didn't need to, it was both of our faults – if you don't mind me saying – and now you've got double the punishment. Why did you do it?"

There was a moment's pause, waiting for Lily to swallow her food and contemplate what James was asking. "Oh, no reason, really…" she mumbled, looking out over the lake.  
"Well, yes there obviously was a reason, otherwise you wouldn't have done it."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she said, looking back at James with her big, green eyes.  
"You're Lily Evans, you _hate_ me. You wouldn't do something nice with no reason, Lily."  
"I don't hate you." She smiled weakly, and took another bite out of her sandwich. In fact, she bit the bread with such force that the jam spilled out from between the buttered white slices, and went all over her cheek.

"Lily, you've, err, got a…bit of…"  
"Bit of what?" Lily managed to say, still chewing on her big mouthful of sandwich.  
James rolled his eyes and used his thumb to wipe the splodge of red jam off her cheek. The touch was gentle, and Lily's heart was pumping so fast it was like electric coursing through her veins. His warm hand left a patch of skin on her cheek zinging with warmth against her cold cheek. After a moment realizing what James had done, she blushed and hung her head. "Oh, um, thanks…James." He smiled. "No problem."

Minutes passed, with not much conversation, as Lily finished her sandwiches, before she glanced at her watch. "Merlin's beard, James, we're late for Potions!" she exclaimed, quickly grabbing up her bags and tugging at James' arm, which was digging in his bag. He pulled out his timetable slowly. "Lily, stop getting so agro, we don't even _have_ Potions today!"  
"Yes we do! You're looking at it upside down, you plonker…" she said, grabbing the piece of parchment and turning it around for James to see. "Oh shoot, you're right! Let's go…"

Lily and James raced up the steep hill, unfortunately slippy with the rain that had fallen earlier in the day. As they reached the top and began to run through the corridors of the school, it was obvious both of them were out of breath. They began to slow down and quick walk in the direction of the dungeons. In between gasping breaths, Lily said "You know, I really hate having Potions two days in a row!" James said nothing in reply, but nodded his head furiously as they jogged down the stairs into the dungeons. They burst through the door, panting, and everyone laughed.

"Late again, Lily! You know, it's getting to be quite a bad habit of yours, being late! A habit I hope won't become a habit, if you know what I mean.." Professor Slughorn mumbled, however gesturing for the two of them to take their seats next to their partners.  
"Sorry Professor," they both grumbled, as they got on with continuing brewing their Amortentia from yesterday.

"Thank _Merlin_ you showed up, Lily, I was beginning to think I'd have to carry on brewing this stupid potion all by myself…" said Sirius, sighing with relief and resuming his usual relaxed position sitting on the table.  
"What happened to 'Amortentia is brilliant'?!" she exclaimed, adding 6 horned slugs to the potion as she went, catching up with the rest of the class.  
"Indeed I did Lily! Indeed I did…And do you remember what else I said?!" he shouted, jumping up and clapping his hands mischievously.  
"Yes, I do, and I remember that it was completely irrelevant, Black…" she said in a warning tone.  
"My dear Lily, I don't think you do remember! In which case I shall repeat myself in saying that you need some to strengthen your relationship with _James_!"

She picked up her textbook and slapped it round his head, too lightly to hurt but too harshly to be sarcastic. "In case you haven't noticed, I am not in a relationship with James!" she hissed, neither of them noticing that everyone else in the room had stopped talking to eavesdrop on their argument.  
"Well maybe not romantically _yet_ but there's so _obviously_ sparks there, Lily! Everyone in Gryffindor knows it and you both know it too!"  
"Oh what _rubbish_, Sirius -"  
"Well, first of all you gave yourself two weeks detention so he wouldn't get any punishment, even though he's just as much to blame as you are, and then you two go off to 'talk' at lunchtime down by the lake, and then you two run into the classroom together blushing!"  
"Well -" Lily started.

"I think that's quite enough, you two! I don't want to hear about your personal relationship difficulties, and Lily you should know better than to have a very loud (and disturbing to other students) argument with your friend in lesson time! Both of you should know better. Sirius, swap with Marlene, please, Marlene come and work with Lily. Perhaps you two should not be paired together in future…" said Professor Slughorn sternly, as Snape scoffed at the end of his lecture, before the teacher added harshly, "10 points from Gryffindor." The Gryffindors moaned as Sirius dragged his schoolbag across the classroom, swapping with a merry Marlene, who practically skipped across the classroom in joy.

"Lily!" she squealed in delight, as she jumped in next to her friend, the rest of the classroom back to their normal level of conversation, paying no more attention to Lily, Sirius, or James. "Thank goodness! I was beginning to die of boredorm over there!" said Marlene quickly, gesturing to the seat where Sirius was now sat, next to a shy, but pretty girl named Lydia Helsbury. "Lydia's not _that_ bad, is she?" asked Lily, looking over to the awkward scene.  
"She just doesn't really say…anything, anything at all!" said Marlene, whose attention was diverted by a particularly solemn James at the back of the classroom.  
"Well I'm sure if you'd get to know her then she wouldn't be _that_ boring, Mar…"  
"Oh, never mind that Lily! Now listen, how do you think James Potter manages to look both grumpy and drop-dead sexy at the same time?" Marlene said dreamily, her hand supporting her chin against the wooden tables, gazing at James with adoring blue-grey eyes, as Lily kept her back to his corner of the classroom and continued stirring the potion. "Maybe he didn't have enough lunch," Lily mumbled, as Marlene carried on grinning in James' direction, hoping but failing to catch his eye as she had wished.

For some reason, hearing Marlene go on about how perfect and amazing James is triggered something inside Lily. She rarely felt it, but when she did she hated it. Jealously was a horrid thing, but seeing the way Marlene (and the other girls throughout school) gaze at James so intently broke her heart and shook her up completely inside. She hated it, but she was jealous.

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**Hope you guys are enjoying the story, the next chapter will be up soon with the second part of 'Jam Sandwiches'! Please review, and a shoutout to Jenna ;D xx**


	8. Jam Sandwiches Part 2

**DISCLAIMER: Characters belong to J. , as ever…**

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Things were getting awkward. Very, _very_ awkward. _I've been sat here for 10 bloody minutes and she hasn't even said 'hello'_, thought Sirius. After being moved away from Lily, Lydia Helsbury was boring. She was quiet, and shy, and she wouldn't say a word. _Well, I think I'll have to make the first move…_

"So…" said Sirius, following an attention-seeking cough. Lydia made no effort to acknowledge the boy sat next to her, she just carried on stirring her potion and adding various powders and substances.  
"Your name's Lydia, right? Lydia Helsbury?" She nodded slightly, but still made no eye contact. Sirius hated that. He couldn't even see what colour eyes she had.  
"I'm -"  
"Sirius Black. Don't pretend you think I _don't_ know your name."

Sirius was taken aback by this sharp comment, and his hand recoiled from offering to shake hers at first.  
"Oh…err, ok then." A slight colour flushed his cheeks, but he soon recomposed himself. He had no idea what to say to this..._girl_, which was a definite first for him. So he went by instinct.  
"So…what're you doing?" A moment passed before she replied.  
"Making Amortentia, what do you think I'm doing?" her voice was softer and more genuine this time, but she still wouldn't look at him. Sirius just twiddled his thumbs.  
"Do you…do you need some help with-"  
"No."  
"Oh, that's good, because I _suck_ at Potions…" Sirius sighed with relief. Then Lydia did something completely odd, and struck Sirius by complete surprise. She laughed. And she looked at him.

She had a small but pretty nose, and her lips were red and rosy. She had chestnut hair that was pulled delicately off her neck up into a messy bun, with a fringe that tickled her eyebrows, and curly strands of hair framed her heart-shaped face. She was beautiful, and Sirius was completely taken aback. How had he never noticed this amazing girl before?

A few minutes passed, and not much was said, except for things like "Could you pass me the pressed flowers, please?" and "Hold the pot of horned slugs for me a second?" Sirius felt stuck: there were so many things he wanted to find out about this _girl_, but he felt like he just couldn't ask her anything. He was just working up the courage to ask her something, when Professor Slughorn shouted at the class that their time was up, and that everyone had to gather round his desk.

Lydia got up and walked over to his desk, and he began to follow, but James came up behind him and dragged him to the side of the classroom, away from the rest of the group, where they always stood during this time of the lesson. Sirius felt slightly annoyed, and found himself staring at her all throughout the demonstration the professor was giving. Sirius felt _very_ strange.

….

"Now, class, I have been around the room and although many of you have created a close representation of what Amortentia should be like, only one of you got it right! Well done Miss Evans, 20 points to Gryffindor!" said Professor Slughorn, as the Slytherins in the room moaned. Lily was beaming.  
"And because you got it so perfect, you can go first!"  
"What?!" snapped Lily, as Hestia pushed her forward. "What do you mean 'go first'?"  
"Tell us what you smell, Lily!" shouted Marlene.

Lily approached the cauldron of Amortentia that she had created. _Does she say what she really smells to the entire class? Does she lie? What was she going to smell in this great big pot of…_

"Go on then, Evans…" said James from the back of the room. Lily heard and turned her head sharply, to see him smiling genuinely at her. She managed a weak one back, and stepped forward. The fumes of the powerful potion completely overcame her, and she had to step away for a moment to compose herself.  
"I, err…I smell…" she began, but then a look of utter confusion came over her. "Well, I smell gingerbread, and…and the smell after rain, I suppose…"  
"Go on," said Professor Slughorn, looking curiously at Lily's frowning face.  
"And…well I guess I smell cigarette smoke and a really strong smell of…leather…" Instantly her cheeks were bright red, and her eyes flickered over to the side of the classroom. James didn't seem to notice, so Lily just walked back over to where she was previously standing with Marlene, embarrassed.

"That was nice, Lily. Ok, who's up next?" Nobody stepped forward. "Alright then, I'll have to pick…" Professor Slughorn scanned the classroom. His eyes landed on the group away from the rest of the class, of course, which all were desperately trying not to make eye contact with the teacher. "Mr Potter, would you mind telling us what you smell?" James groaned and stumbled to the front of the classroom. He did _not_ want to tell all the Gryffindors and Slytherins about the smells he liked…

He rolled his eyes but smiled back towards Lily, as he took a whiff of the potion in front of him.  
"Well, surprise, surprise, I smell food!" he joked, and the class laughed.  
"Any specifics?" asked the professor.  
"Well, I smell tortilla chips with salsa, and I smell hot chocolate…and fresh mince pies…" his face faltered.  
"Surely there must be other things than just _food_, Potter!" chuckled Slughorn.  
"Well, yeah, I guess, but -" James looked up from the cauldron in front of him, and looked directly at Lily curiously. She returned the look of confusion before he continued. "I smell that flower, you know, the 'something' of the valley or whatever…"  
"You mean _lily_ of the valley?" confirmed the professor, who was beginning to get on James' nerves by butting in so often.  
"Umm, yeah, I guess so, and…I smell…jam sandwiches."  
"Thank you for that, Mr Potter, you've now brought us to the end of the lesson! See you all next week."

James and his friends walked back to their desks to collect their bags, and then left the class as quickly as they could. _Bloody jam sandwiches._

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**First of all, may I apologise for the spelling mistake I made in the first part of 'Jam Sandwiches': I realise that you do not spell boredom like 'boredorm'. **

**Secondly, sorry this chapter was so short, the next one should be longer!**

**Also at the beginning of the next chapter I'll have a recap section so you can remember the general gist of what's happened so far in the story, and I really hope you're enjoying it! If you're not, then please tell me so I can make it better!**

**Please leave me a review, guys! :D xx**


	9. Full Moon

**_CHAPTER 9: Full Moon_**

**DISCLAIMER: J. owns…**

**Ok, so a recap of the story so far?**

**James challenges Lily to a game of chess, on the conditions that if he wins, she has to give him a kiss. Although he does win, she still won't kiss him – yet. **

**Lily finds comfort in her best friend Alice, who she confides in to tell she might like James, who, although Lily doesn't know it, might also like her back. Then Lily is paired with James' best friend Sirius in Potions, who teases her about James a lot, but also invites her to his New Year's Eve Party, which James does not know about. **

**Lily also takes the blame for James after messing about in the common room, so James asks her why she stood up for him because she hates him, but Lily tells him that she doesn't feel like that towards James. The two are then late for lesson, where Sirius is moved away from Lily next to a shy girl named Lydia Helsbury, and Marlene McKinnon ends up next to Lily. It just so happens that Marlene is ****_obsessed_**** with James Potter, and after going on about him so much Lily finds that she is becoming quite jealous…**

**Meanwhile Sirius takes a liking for his new Potions partner Lydia, although she doesn't seem to like him as much. At the end of the lesson both Lily and James have to tell the class what they smell in the Amortentia (very powerful love potion) and it just so happens that they smell things distinctly related to the other…**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

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"Why not?" whined Marlene.  
"Because I'm tired, Marlene! I don't want to play silly 'would-you-rather' games, I've got important things I need to do. Now, have any of you seen Lily?" said James, agitated, to the giggling group of girls sat around what was once the area that the Marauders had claimed. However, to say Sirius was enjoying this company would be a complete understatement. "Oh, Sirius, will _you_ play with us?" nagged Hestia with a girlish pout.  
"Of course I will! Now, who's going first?" he said, as he slid off the couch onto the hearthrug into the circle of girls. James rolled his eyes as he left. Both him and Sirius knew there was a job that needed doing tonight, although Sirius was always better at coping with these things. For James, however, it just plain stressed him out. _I'll just get the job done and then go and have a cigarette and it will all be over. Now where is Lily…_

James went up to their dormitory, expecting no-one to be there, but he found Peter sat in his usual seat, just sitting and doing nothing. "Hey, Pete. How're you?" asked James as he pulled his robe off and threw it over his own chair. "Fine thanks. Any luck finding Lily?"  
"No, I'll have another look in a bit, she'll be around somewhere. You seem a bit quiet lately, Wormtail?" said James frowning, turning to face his sullen-looking friend.  
"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing really, don't worry." Pete mumbled, looking at his hands.  
"Well, I'm not worried: worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but it gets you nowhere. But you're my friend, Pete, I look out for you, ok?"

"See that's the thing. You three are always looking out for me: you're the strong ones who're all cool and popular, and then there's just me, the tag-along. You all have girls pining after you, and I'm just the guy at the end of the line. It kind of sucks, you know?" James was seeing a side of Peter he had never known, and come to think of it, Peter was right. "Well Pete, you're one of the _Marauders_. That alone makes you cool. You just need to wait for the right girl to come along, that's all." James slapped him round the shoulders in a friendly way, as he checked his hair in the mirror and began to walk out of the door. Just before he ran down the staircase, he turned around to face Peter, who was still sat in his chair, alone. "Pete?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Just remember that you will _always_ be one of my best friends, ok? Always." Peter smiled weakly, and James left.

As James approached the bottom of the staircase leading into the Gryffindor common room, he was greeted by Owen Thomas and his group of guys. "Potter!" he called, swaggering over to the messy-haired boy. "What now, Thomas?"  
"Evans given you that kiss yet?" he asked with a cocky smile.  
"No she hasn't. Actually, have you seen her?" In any other circumstance, James would have had a great comeback for the dark-skinned Gryffindor, but today was not the day. Since they were not going to answer him seriously, he just stormed off towards Sirius, who was now much less involved in the game than he was previously.

James just slumped down in the corner of the sofa next to his friend. They both sighed in unison. "I have a serious problem."  
"Serious is it, Sirius?!" James laughed.  
"I thought we agreed to ignore the fact that my name sounds like 'serious'!" he grumbled.  
"That was when we were twelve…" said James, as Sirius rolled his eyes.  
"Touché. But still, I have a problem."  
"Care to discuss?"  
"Not here."  
"Let's go for a walk." And just like that, they got up and left.

They walked to the astronomy tower, where they knew (with help from the map) no-one else would be. They sat on the balcony, as James offered some jelly worms. "Come on then, tell me," said James, munching on a yellow one, as Sirius took a green one.  
"Hestia."  
"Oh. You really like her?"  
"No, no, no, it's not that. She's _obsessed_ with me. I'm not even exaggerating! She waits until _you're_ not around, and then she just _pounces_ on me like she's a cat or something! It's bloody annoying, and I think she's under the impression we're…_together._ And you and I both know that that's _not_ the case…"  
"Just tell her. Wait until breakfast tomorrow and then announce it in front of everyone. No big deal for you, Padfoot, just walking along leaving a trail of broken hearts behind you, right?"  
"No, James! I mean, there's this other thing…"  
"Hmm?"  
"Well…After I got moved away from Evans -"  
"_Lily_…" said James.  
"Oh, right, sorry: I forgot you two were on first-name basis now…" James punched his friend in the arm.  
"Ouch. Anyway, after I got moved away from your _Lily _-"  
"See that's the thing! She's not mine and it's just -"  
"We'll get to your female issues in a minute, James! Just listen."  
"_Oh_, it's _female_ issues, is it? Tell me, tell me, tell me!"  
"Yes it is 'female issues' – but not like you-know-what things that make girls turn into grumps once a month before you start quoting things at me – and I will tell you once you stop sounding like an excited 13-year-old girl waiting for gossip who keeps butting in!"  
"Sorry."  
"S'ok. So, back to the story. I was moved away from Lily and Marlene sat next to her instead, and I kept overhearing your name in their conversation and – well it's plain obvious Marlene likes you."  
"Well you two have been friends since, like, ever, so why don't you just ask her?"  
"Ok, I will if you want me to, but the thing is…"  
"What?"  
"It's just that when Marlene was rabitting on about how amazing you are, Lily was looking…"  
"Looking what? Tell me Sirius, stop trailing off!"  
"She looked jealous, that's all!"  
"Jealous?"  
"Yes, jealous, James, the thing you get when someone else is talking about the person you like and you go all green-eyed and stuff!"  
"Shut up Sirius, I know all about jealousy, trust me."  
"Well I'm just saying…I'm not pulling a Remus and trying to get your hopes up unnecessarily but I really do think she likes you, James!"  
"No she doesn't and that's the end of it."  
"Fine. Can I carry on with my story now."  
"Yeah – wait, there's more?"  
"Yes, but not about you this time, unfortunately." James mocked disappointment and Sirius kicked him.  
"So while Mar was next to Lily, I was moved next to this…_girl_..."  
"Girl? Which girl, was it the pretty blonde with the nice bum?"  
"What, Sadie? No, no, no…Lydia? Lydia Helsbury. I never noticed her before, but she's just…"  
"Oh dear."  
"Oh dear?"  
"Mm-hmm." James looked smug.  
"Oh. What's the matter."  
"Sirius looooooves her…" teased James.  
"What? No, of course not, I mean I barely know her and she's pretty and shy and I'm cocky and loud. I mean we-we're _complete_ opposites, I mean, can you imagine?"  
"Yes."  
"Yes?"  
"You like her, don't you?" Sirius didn't reply, but he just looked at the moon rising. He sighed and got up. "It's getting dark, and we don't want to be late again."  
"Ok. Do you think he's doing ok?"  
"I'm sure he's fine. We'll find him in a bit, though, no doubt."  
"Yeah. It's always the morning after that's the worst."

…

"Ok, one last check before we go. Map?"  
"Check," said James, a little distracted.  
"Cloak?"  
"Check."  
"Ok, are we ready?"  
"As I'll ever be. Shall we put the cloak on now or shall we wait until we're there?"  
"Oh come on, Prongs, there'll be no-one in the common room _now_, it's almost midnight and we're running late. Let's just go." James and Peter followed Sirius out of the door and down the stone steps to the common room, expecting and hoping no one to be there. They tip-toed across the soft rug on the floor when they froze. They all seemed to notice her at the same time. Lily was curled up in the armchair, sleeping. The fire illuminated her tear-streaked cheeks, and her bright eyes were hidden under sleeping lids. "James, she's sleeping, let's go," whispered Sirius, who had to practically drag him away.

From then on, James had to forget about Lily up in the common room alone, for there were more important things to be done. The rest of the night passed in a blur. One moment they were running down the hills towards the ForbiddenForest, the next James was running through the forest, a fully transformed stag. They could hear Remus howling in the distance – they knew they needed to find him quickly, when suddenly the clouds parted and the full moon shone through, full and bright. The stag, dog, and rat found the werewolf, and after a particularly violent fight, they waited out until Remus had calmed down and transformed back into his human self, unconscious.

"Go, James."  
"What do you mean? I'm not leaving you."  
"Me and Peter will take him back to the hospital wing. Take the map and the cloak and go for a walk. You get way too stressed out about these things." It didn't take another word from Sirius. James disappeared into the night, with several bad bruises and bleeding cuts on his face. It was definitely one of Remus' worse months.

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**Ahhh, I've been so excited about these few chapters! They are so much fun to write and I love sharing them with you guys and the awesome people I know outside of the computer screen – you know who you are! Also a shoutout to Ciara :D Please review, see you soon with the next chapter! :D xx**


	10. Cigarette

**DISCLAIMER: J. owns…**

**Enjoy the chapter! Also I have been on a 'music spree' lately, so every now and then when there's a key scene, I'll pop a song suggestion up here in the bold print box and if you want to, then you can put the song on while you read the scene or whatever? I don't know, I just thought I'd put the option here because there are certain songs I listen to when writing, so I just wanted to share them with you lovely lot :D**

**Today's chapter happens to have one of these 'key' scenes, so you can click on this link for the YouTube link(** watch?v=q0KZuZF01FA&feature=autoplay&list=PLF4AEEC012742B78F&playnext=6**), or find Andrew Belle 'In My Veins' for today…**

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Lily's eyes fluttered open to see the empty common room around her. The fire was now down to only embers, but it still lit up the room enough for Lily to see. She wiped her eyes and stood up. _How long have I been sleeping?_ She thought, looking at the clock on the marble mantelpiece above the dying fire. The old clock read quarter to midnight, and Lily frowned._ Merlin, I hope nobody saw me…_

She looked around at the scene around her. _People can be so careless, sometimes_, she thought, as she identified a pile of books on the table as Frank Longbottom's, and as she collected Owen Thomas' Herbology essay strewn all over the carpet. She put the pile of parchment on the desk in the corner, before she noticed the bin. Normally Lily wouldn't go searching through the rubbish bins, but a piece of paper caught her eye for no particular reason at all. She retrieved it from amongst several tissues and pencil sharpenings, and was just about to unfold it, when she heard heavy footsteps rapidly approaching.

_Agrippa's sake, who's up at this hour?_ She thought, as she leapt back across the common room onto the armchair on which she had fallen asleep, and she closed her eyes, but leaving one eye ever so slightly open so she could peek at whoever was snooping around, the piece of paper still crumpled up and hidden in her small hand.

"Oh come on, Prongs, there'll be no-one in the common room _now_, it's almost midnight and we're running late. Let's just go." Lily froze at the sound of Sirius' voice, and with the sudden realization that three boys were stood watching her 'sleep' was more frightening than it probably should have been. _Lily, they'll think you're dead if you don't start breathing soon_, she thought to herself, as her heart was pumping so rapidly it could have burst right out of her chest if she hadn't shut her eyes closed completely so she couldn't see…_him_.

Lily waited until she was positively sure the Marauders had left before she sat upright in the chair again and unfolded the piece of paper. She recognized it instantly and had to hold her breath to stop her from gasping. She wasn't even sure why it shocked her so much, but there she was, holding James Potter's doodle paper in her shaking hand. The firelight lit the paper up enough for Lily to see a scrawled rendition of a Golden Snitch. It was actually rather good, but that was not what caught Lily's eye. In the corner of the small piece of parchment were two letters. They were little, but they were there.

_L.E?_

And in that moment, Lily decided against her better judgment, and she got up, climbed through the portrait hole, leaving the parchment on the desk.

She had left it too late to 'follow' them, but she was determined to find them. She wasn't even sure what she was going to say when she found them, but she needed to find them. She _wanted_ to.

…

One leg propped up on the stone wall, the other dangling over the mossy grass that lined the courtyard, James Potter sat with his head leaning against a pillar that guarded the veranda that ran around the courtyard in front of the Hogwarts castle. The full moon sat right in front of him, and he glared at it as if it could glare back. He took a drag of his cigarette and closed his eyes. _Why does everything have to be so complicated these days?_ He thought. There was a cold wind that whistled against James, and he shuddered, pulling his t-shirt down his arm as far as he could to see if it would help shelter the rest of him from the bitter winter evening. James was so distracted by taking another drag from his cigarette that he didn't even notice Lily's name on the map move from her spot in the common room to just around the corner of the veranda where James was sitting.

There was complete silence around Hogwarts as Lily stood, only metres away, from James Potter. She knew he was alone, but she considered running back to her dorm so many times over in her head. She was so close now, she could barely hear his hoarse breathing over the beating of her heart. Before she could stop herself, she swung out from round the corner. "James?" she said, as the boy jolted and sat upright from his previously relaxed position. He pounced on his map and looked at it in disbelief, before jabbing it with his wand and muttering something Lily couldn't hear as he stuffed it inside his pocket. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump," she said, pulling her cardigan around her, approaching the place where James was sat, precautiously.

"Oh, er, hi, Lily…" Seeing his rushed reaction to Lily turning up and ruining his train of thought, Lily backed out. "You know what, it was stupid for me to come looking for you, I'll leave you alone…" she turned quickly and started to walk away when a firm hand grabbed her arm. "No! No, you can stay. You - you should stay." He whispered, not realizing how rough his voice sounded. All of a sudden, she gasped. "James! Oh my goodness, what have you done?!" Lily's hand automatically reached for James' cut face, illuminated by the moon.

"Lily -" he began, before she sat down next to his feet up on the ledge, bursting into tears. It wasn't even quiet and restrained: she just let them fall over her cheeks over and over again. James was completely clueless as to what he should do: do you tell her how it happened or do you change the subject – what's a boy to do? In the end, he just brought her into his side with his big (and rather muscular) arms, as she leant her shaking head against his chest. With his free hand, he stroked her hair – which seemed a duller colour than it usually was – and he just wanted to stay like that forever, before she went off on an impulsive streak again. "No! You stupid _prat_, James! What on _earth_ do you think you're doing, getting yourself so bloody beaten up like this?!" she was the other side of the veranda now, her voice raising higher than it should in the middle of the night, her eyes fiery with anger.  
"Lily, you can't tell me what to do!" he shouted back. This _always_ happened with Lily, and James hated it.  
"Yes I can!"  
"No you bloody well can't, Lily!"  
"Yes I can, James! I care about you, ok? I've seen you like this before and I _hate_ it! I hate seeing you with cuts and bruises all over your face, I _hate_ seeing you smoke in the middle of the night because I know you only ever smoke when you're having a rough time and I _hate_ seeing you look so bloody lonely! You deserve better than to be lonely when you feel like a pile of -"  
"Then why don't you show it?" his voice was back to a whisper now, crumbling and breaking under Lily's glare.  
"If you really care then why are you so _cold_ towards me all the time?! You talk to me when no-one else is around, but when there are other people there you suddenly _hate_ me all over again!"

Minutes passed, as the two sat there, tears still rolling sadly down Lily's cheeks. "Can you tell me what happened, or are you just going to leave me to my guesses and assumptions?" asked Lily.

James almost did. He almost told her about how every month, Sirius, Peter and himself have to hurt their best friend to stop him from getting into the Hogwarts ground, how he could be up for a life in Azkaban if anyone found out about his illegal form of Animagus, how every month he gets so stressed out about how his best friends going to recover over the next week and whether anyone will notice his messy job at covering up the cuts and bruises. He almost told her how on that particular occasion, Sirius and him had had a rough time trying to find their friend, lost in the forest, already transformed because he couldn't reach the Whomping Willow on time, how they had probably broken Remus' arm that night where he had tried to howl. But he didn't.

"I wish I could Lily. Sorry I shouted at you."  
"Sorry I'm crying and making this awkward and stuff…" and then he did something strange. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "James, I am a horrible cow and I'm sorry for messing you around so much. I should be the same person but I'm a two-faced pig and -"  
"No you're not." He reached in and gave her a tight hug. Lily's heart raced as she inhaled a musky smell, masked with cigarette smoke. "You are a talented, awesome person and I need to ask you if you can help me sort my face out because I always do such an awful job at it."

And so there they sat, Lily gently tending to James' wounds in the moonlight, and they just talked, about regular life. All was normal, and after walking back to the Gryffindor common room together, they both fell asleep instantly.

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**Ahhh, I got to chapter 10 without deleting the story! Happy days, go celebrate with a bowl of mash, you lovely reader :D Next chapter is on the way soon! Thanks again to Jo and Jenna for being lovely about me becoming a brace face today – it was actually that that persuaded me to write this chapter, so there you go…Have a good evening, hope school's not too bad for you lot that have just returned :D xx**


	11. Mumbo Jumbo

**DISCLAIMER: J. owns…**

* * *

"So come on then, Lydia, tell me."  
"Tell you what, Sirius?"  
"Who is he?"  
"Who's who?" snapped Lydia, clearly irritated as she read her book.  
"The 'lucky guy' so to speak."  
"I don't know what you're on about."  
"Oh come on, it's obvious you're _with_ somebody -"  
"What makes you think that?" she said with an almost disappointed face, as she lifted her head to look at the boy next to her.  
"Well if you didn't have a boyfriend then you'd be more interested in _me_ as a person, right?"  
"No, not necessarily, I mean I have _had_ a boyfriend before but it didn't work out. And for the record, I think you could be a rather interesting person if you tried." Sirius' heart leapt, before he realized what she was saying.  
"Hang on, what you mean 'if I tried'?"  
"Well, you've built yourself up such an 'image' so to speak that everyone knows you as the guy who's been sleeping with Hestia Thompson, but I _guess_ if you took all of that…rubbish away, then I suppose you could actually be a genuinely interesting person."  
"I so have not slept with Hestia! Sure, we snogged in a cupboard once, but I don't sleep around, Lyds."  
"Who told you that you could call me 'Lyds'?"  
"I did."  
"Well…you can't."  
"What, are you going to stop me?"  
"Well no, but maybe you'll be excited to know that I do not attempt to find interest in anyone that calls me 'Lyds'."  
"Oh."

A few minutes passed, and Sirius just wanted to _talk_ to her. Everything that she'd ever said to him was either controversial to what he said, or she was subtly flirting. He was hoping that she _was_ flirting, but even Sirius Black knew when not to get his hopes up.  
"Sirius?"  
"Yes?" he replied, a little too quickly. She looked directly at him, with her big eyes staring into his quizzically.  
"What's the matter?" he asked, worried she had found another major fault in him to make her dislike him even more. She just looked back down at her book, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.  
"Hey! Don't leave me hanging, what fault have you found in me _now_?!" he said a little too loudly, before Slughorn gave him a particularly stern look.  
"I was just seeing how much I could tell about you from your eyes."  
"My eyes?"  
"Yes, your eyes."  
"What, are you the Divination type of person? Come on then, Miss Helsbury, tell me my deepest and darkest secrets," he teased.  
"My mother was. But that's not what I was looking for."  
"Well what _were_ you 'looking for' then?"  
"I was just…seeing. That's all."  
"Lydia! You can't just gaze into my eyes like that and then give me all this mumbo jumbo!"  
"It's not mumbo jumbo! And I don't like telling people why I do things. I mean, if there's a reason to every single thing you do then where's the fun in doing them, right?"  
"I thought everything happens for a reason?"  
"Well perhaps, but that doesn't give you a reason to do everything. For example, I don't think there needs to be a reason for you to have the girls all over you, I don't see the reason for getting a girl to go home with you, I don't see the reason -"  
"Hey, I'm not like that, ok?! I am not that sort of person!" Sirius' voice was angry and passionate now, clearly intent on proving her wrong.  
"Well, as surprising as it may sound, I know that you're not. But most other people think you _are_ that kind of person, so why you act like it is completely unbeknownst to me."  
"Is that it? Is that the reason you 'looked into my eyes' and stuff?"  
"Well, to be perfectly honest with you, you can tell a lot about a person by their eyes, ok? And, when given the chance, I guess I could tell a lot more."  
"Go on then."  
"What?"  
"Tell me. What am I really like?" he said, leaning in close to her face.  
"Your name is Sirius Black. You have no middle name and neither does any other member of your mainly Slytherin family."  
"Oh come on, everyone knows that. Tell me stuff only a few people know about me."  
"Fine. But don't tell me you didn't ask for it. You were kicked out because you rebelled against your family's pureblood ways and your mother burnt your name out of the family tapestry in your house. You are now living with best friend James Potter's family and you love it there because his mother treats you like a second son. You like carrots and cheese the way Grace Potter cooks it and you like sleeping with the windows open because you can hear the wind outside. Your favourite thing to do is sleep and you are yearning to have a long-term relationship for once in your life but you are too afraid it will damage your image as being one of the hard-to-get Marauders. You and your friends have a secret that I won't say out loud but I know the exact reason why you've tried to cover up that gash over your eye and the bruise on your jaw. You also happen to really like Muggle artifacts and you are having a New Year's Party and you want to ask me to come but you are worried that we don't know each other well enough that it would be weird to ask me. You also have really, really lovely eyes." And at that, she left Sirius completely speechless at the desk, as she got up and left the room with the other students.

"Padfoot? You coming? We're going to visit Remus, you know, see how he's doing?" said James, offering Sirius his bag which he had neglected at the foot of the table. Sirius stood up slowly before coming to his senses. "Go on without me. There's something I, um, have to do first." Within moments, he was off into the crowd of students pushing to get up the steps out of the dungeons and out into the fresh air. Sirius reached the corridor and looked out for her.

"Lydia!" he yelled, spotting her far away heading towards the Great Hall. She span around as if expecting him to come running after her.  
"That – um, that was very impressive, what you did back there," he said, out of breath, as he pointed with his hand back to the Potions classroom.  
"For the record, I think you're brave." This completely stunned Sirius for the second time that day.  
"What?"  
"You know, rebelling against your parents for Muggle-born rights and stuff."  
"Why does it matter to you?"  
"Oh, I'm actually a Muggle-born."  
"What's wrong with that?" he said, and she smiled up at him happily.  
"What did you come running at me for?"  
"Oh, um, I was just wondering if maybe you'd -"  
"Really?" she said in a disappointed and yet annoyed tone.  
"Hey, you're not even going to let me say it?"  
"Nope."  
"Why not?"  
"Because you won't know how to say it properly."  
"Well in all fairness you shouldn't know what I'm about to say anyway." She rolled her eyes and said "Go on then," as if speaking to a young child.  
"Lydia, will you come to my New Year's Eve party?"  
"No." She turned and walked away, and didn't look back even when Sirius called out "Why not? It'll be great fun!" after her. He hung his head and dragged himself up to the Hospital Wing.

…

"Hey buddy. How're you doing this morning?" asked Sirius as he rushed into the room, the assistant nurse Madame Pomfrey putting a sharp finger to her lips as he tried to convey an apology, while still trying to get to his friend's bedside.  
"Pretty rubbish, not going to lie." Sirius gave Remus a sympathetic look, before fumbling around in his bag for something. "Well, I got you some chocolate from Honeydukes, the dark one just how you like it." Remus smiled weakly.  
"Thanks, Padfoot. Come on then guys, let's break it up and share."

Through a mouthful of chocolate, James mumbled "Sorry about the arm by the way, Mooney. You got a bit agro and you told me not to hesitate," while gesturing to the sling now around Remus' right arm.  
"That's alright, at least I'm left-handed, eh?"  
"Yeah, but I still feel bad. Oh, and I was just wondering…before you took your potion yesterday evening, where did you put that note?"  
"Note? What note?"  
"The note you picked up off the floor that fell out of my book the other day and I told you to get rid of it?"  
"Oh, _that_ note. I just put it in the bin, no big deal."  
"The bin? Mooney, anyone could find it in the bloody bin!"  
"Well sorry, you didn't exactly _specify -_"  
"Never mind. I'll just fish it out of the bin and then burn it. No worries," said James, but a look of concern still hung on his face.  
"Hey Pete, pass me that bottle of Pumpkin juice would you? I am so bloomin' dehydrated and Remus gets an endless supply when he's recovering…" said Sirius as James got up to leave. "Sorry guys, I have to go. See you all later, yeah?"  
"Bye, Prongs!" they chorused as they watched him leave.  
"What's up with him lately?" mumbled Peter, as he passed Sirius the bottle of pumpkin juice.  
"Oh nothing, he's just a hormonal teenage boy who's madly in love but he just doesn't know it yet."

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**Ok, there are some things that need sorting…I have had several reviews telling me (rather bluntly) about the technicalities of my fanfiction. But in all honesty, I am really not bothered about whether or not Alice's last name was Fortescue; Hestia's last name was Jones or the fact that James has hazel eyes! Sorry if it upsets you, but I rather like the fact that in my head he has blue eyes! Sorry guys… Keep reviewing! I love hearing what you have to say :D xx**


	12. The Letter

**Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns...**

* * *

****James walked into the common room on that Wednesday afternoon, only to find it empty . _Everyone's gone to lunch_, he thought, as he sped up to his dormitory to collect his Transfiguration essay that needed finishing. He had long given up on using the desk in the Marauder's dormitory, for it was covered in all of Sirius' rubbish and Remus' piles of books. Even Peter had been known to leave bits of unfinished food on there from time to time. James just rolled his eyes as he flew back down to the common room.

Since everyone was eating their lunch down in the Great Hall, James wasn't worried about his rebellious Marauder 'image' being ruined by anyone spotting him doing the homework they were all dreading, although James found it easy as always. Top of the class in Transfiguration, even those who were quick eaters wouldn't catch him out. Besides, James often skipped eating lunch to do his homework: he would make up for it later by stealing from the kitchens.

He settled himself down on the same desk Lily had been studying at only a few nights ago, and he was reminded of how she stood up for him..._You know I never really thanked her for that_, he thought, as he dipped his quill into the little pot of black ink he had.

_Conjuration is principally limited by the Five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Intermediate Transfiguration_, he wrote, continuing on from the ten inches he had already written on the stained piece of parchment.

He was just about to explain this statement further, when he heard a rustling of parchment from underneath him. He sighed, half expecting to find one of Sirius' paper aeroplanes under the cushion on the seat, but instead he withdrew a letter. Frowning, he unravelled it from the crumpled ball it was in, and, without thinking, he read it.

_Lily,_

_Vernon and I are engaged to be married, and although mother insists you have to attend, I am putting my foot down when it comes to you being a bridesmaid. I want my bridal party to be flawless, and a freak like you would ruin it._

_Instead, Vernon's sister Marge will be my maid of honour. Her hair is much more complementing for my colour scheme and she's a lovely,normal woman._

_The reason I am bothering to write you at your freak school is to tell you not to plan anything for New Year's Eve (although it's not like you would have any plans), as that is when the wedding will be._

_Mother and father send you their love and good luck with your exams, but it's completely beyond me as to why they'd want you to pass as a weirdo._

_Regards,_

_Petunia_

__James stood there, holding the letter completely speechless. He sat down at the desk and read it through once more, contemplating what he had just seen. But before he could take it in, someone climbed through the portrait hole.

...

"James?" she said in a shocked tone, as she turned to face him, glancing at the piece of parchment in his hands.  
"Is this why you were crying last night?" he demanded, standing up from the seat behind the desk. _I can't believe I left that letter lying around!_ she thought, as she realised what James was holding. She said nothing out loud, but her eyes just grew wider and wider with disbelief. "Well? Is it?!"

Lily nodded slowly, as she went to sit down in the armchair. James made his way over to the sofa opposite, not sure what to say to her. _Merlin, Lily, please don't start crying on me again, _he thought, as he put the letter down on the armrest.

She wasn't sure whether or not she was downright angry at James for invading her privacy by reading the letter (although, it was her fault for leaving it lying around for all of Gryffindor to see), or glad that she had finally found someone that she could tell. But why it was James Potter of all people, she did not know. This boy was arrogant, conceited, and definitely could _not_ keep a secret, but in the end, she just broke down.

"No, no, no, no, no, Lily! Please don't cry!" he said worriedly, as the tears started falling from the eyes that he loved so dearly. He put his arm around her shoulders, but didn't say anything. He always seemed to say the exact thing that she didn't want to hear in these situations.

With many stuttering breaths in between, Lily managed to say, "I just don't know what to do anymore! I don't want my sister to hate me so much, not like this..." With a sigh of relief, James, held her tighter as she continued crying. He knew exactly what the problem was now.

"Lily you listen to me." he pulled her around to face him, and waited until she had gained some control over her tears, before continuing. "She doesn't hate you! It's probably just because she's jealous! Think about it, you can do _magic_, you are so much prettier than she is, and your hair is amazing. She just doesn't want to be upstaged on her wedding day by her beautiful younger sister..."

Lily managed a weak smile, which was returned instantly. "B-but, what should I do? It would be horrible to go to the wedding and have the entire family constantly reminding me all day about the fact my own sister doesn't want me in her bridal party - not that I'd particularly _enjoy_ running around after Petunia all day. I mean, what would you do?"  
"Well, I can honestly say that I've never dreamt of being a bridesmaid, but I couldn't tell you what to do anyway because that's your decision. But you know I'll always be here for you, whatever you do."  
"Thanks James...But, if, say, I make my decision first, then will you tell me what you'd do?"  
"I guess so."  
"Well, I'll still go to the wedding, but I'll just sit with our cat all day or something. Now tell me?"  
"Well, I just wouldn't go." The bluntness of his answer shocked her, although she knew she shouldn't really be all that surprised.  
"That is just so..._you_!"  
"Hey, hey, hey, don't complain! You asked what I would do, right?"  
"Fair enough." she said with a small smile.

She looked back over at the desk James had been stood by when she had walked in earlier, and realised that he had, in fact, been doing his homework.  
"Well, I guess I'd better leave you to your Transfiguration essay then" she said, making her way over to to the stairs leading back up to the dormitories.  
"You'll be wanting to finish it quickly before everyone else comes up after lunch, right? Wouldn't want to damage your 'image' or anything..." Before James had the chance to reply, she was gone.

His reply of "You're more important to me than the homework anyway," stuck in his throat, as he turned back to his essay, smiling.

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**Hope you're enjoying the story so far, I am having lots of fun leading up to the Christmas holidays in the story! (wink wink!) Please don't forget to drop me a review, I read all of them and I reply to every single one (that isn't on anonymous/Guest, of course!) so please keep reviewing, I really appreciate it! Hugs and butterfly kisses, betsypie :D xx**


	13. Hogwarts Happenings

**Disclaimer:**__**J. owns it all...You know, I'm not sure whether I can be bothered to keep writing all of this disclaimer stuff at the beginning of each chapter...Would it be really awful to just stop doing it, because to be honest, for these first 13 chapters I have rattled on about the fact that Jo Ro owns all, so surely you get the message by now? Ah, I don't know...Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

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"Come on, Severus, be a man!"  
"Do it, Snape!"  
"Yeah, go on!" jeered the Slytherins, as Snape stood facing a scared looking Hufflepuff first-year, a relatively large crowd gathering.

His greasy, black hair reflected a nasty glow from the fading sunlight, and an unplacid shimmer came from the beads of sweat forming above his hairy eyebrows. His entire body was shaking, and his wand arm quivered the birch, 11-and-a-quarter inch dragon heartstring wand in the face of the innocent, blonde first-year.

"C-crucio!" he whispered, but the boy in front of him just frowned.

"YOU IDOT!" yelled Avery Mulciber from behind him.  
"Can't even perform the bloody Cruciatus curse, for Agrippa's sake..."  
"You've got to _mean_ it!" shrieked Bellatrix Black, rushing over to Snape's side and screaming into his ear. He tried his best to remain unmoved, but the pressure of performing his first Unforgivable Curse was overbearing.  
"Try again, Snape, you wouldn't want to forfeit _this_ would you?" sneered Gerard Goyle slyly, knowing that Snape simply _could not_ refuse this 'simple' task.  
"N-no, NO!" he shouted back."  
"Alright, I'll do it..." he said, fighting back tears. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, Bella's last words still echoing in his mind. _You've got to mean it!_ she screamed louder and louder in his head, so loud in fact, that Severus Snape managed to block out the gasping noises from the crowd around him.

He opened his eyes, ready to hex the Hufflepuff, but instead was greeted by two rather large and burly Quidditch players, both of which Snape despised passionately. "Out of the way, Black, Potter, I have a job that needs doing," Snape managed to say, shaking with anger. Both of the Marauder's raised their eyebrows at his unconvincing tone.  
"Of course you do, Snivellus, but you see, we wouldn't want to cause a stir, so we must ask you to leave." remarked James, arms crossed, a cocky grin on his face.  
"NO! Get out of the way! You'd hex me as I walked away. Now move!" Snape just wanted, for one moment, to have the power to hit them with his fist as hard as he could, to prove them wrong about him for one small minute. Instead, he just glared at them with his cold, black eyes.  
"Snivellus! Why would _we_ do something like that to _you_?!" grinned Sirius sarcastically.  
"Don't try sarcasm, Black, there's no wit in that."  
"Anyway Snape, we've started afresh with you, right? Surely you're not forgetting the fact that we haven't been annoying you for the past few months now?" said James, as Sirius nodded solemnly beside him.

Before Snape had the chance to say anything, a loud voice piercing the air. "SEVERUS SNAPE, PUT YOUR WAND DOWN THIS INSTANCE!" yelled Profesor McGonagall, shaking with rage. By this time, the rest of the Slytherins had fled, and Severus was left completely alone, terrified.

…

"And the rest, as they say, is history," concluded Sirius, looking smug, as Lily Evans just looked at him, saying nothing.  
"Ok, Lily, please say something? I mean, we _stopped_ Snivellus from performing a bloody Unforgiveable curse on a first year, surely you've got to give us some credit?" said James, trying to make eye contact with the stunned 6th year, who remained mute.  
"What did we do wrong this time?!" said James in a raised voice, before Lily shushed him.  
"Nothing. Um, I don't really know what to say…"  
"Oh, you don't have to say _that_ much, just that we're amazing and awesome and you couldn't live without us and that Severus is a douche and that you'll never see him again -" said James, sitting down on the sofa next to her, before she nudged him in the arm with her elbow.  
"Or you know, you could just say thanks," said Sirius with a wink, as he began to leave.  
"Hey, Padfoot, where're you going?" said James, frowning. Sirius continued smirking.  
"Oh nowhere, just going to leave you two alone, you know, cuddled up on the sofa, beside the fire…" he said, as he ran off to the corner of the room. When James looked back at Lily, she was several inches further away from him than she was before. _Cuddled up on the sofa, I'll get him for that later_, thought James, as Lily just stared into the fire.

"James, if you were me, would _you_ still be friends with Severus?" she said, turning to face James.  
"Not a chance! Lily you know _exactly_ what I would do..."  
"Seriously? Think about it James, I've been best friends with him since we were 9 and I used to be able to trust him and tell him anything but now I'm finding myself avoiding him because I don't want to be around him at all and a good friend would probably forgive him and let it pass because friendship should be more important -"  
"Lily! When was the last time it felt like you were actually _friends_, hey? And what kind of a friend is _he _being to _you_?" he said, in a much more serious tone than before. Lily remained silent.  
"A long time, I guess. I mean, I have other friends..." she mumbled, stealing a glance over at James on the other side of the sofa.  
"Well, we're friends, right?" he said precariously, not sure whether that was what she wanted to hear or not.

_Come on, Lily, please say yes, please say yes, please say yes..._he thought, as Lily took a pause before she answered. James had been working up to this conversation in his head for months, wondering what it would actually be like to hear her confirm that they were _actually_ friends, that she didn't really hate him after all.

Lily's lips curved upwards into a small smile. "Yeah. Yeah we are." she said, looking at his relieved face.  
James sighed. "Good. Lily?"  
"Mmm?"  
"How, er..." Lily raised her eyebrows, as she swung her legs underneath her on the sofa, curling up into the corner comfortably.  
"How'reyougettingonwiththatTransf igurationrevision?" he said quickly, not making eye contact, nervously running a hand through his hair that he clearly had not brushed that day.  
"What?" she said, struggling to catch what he had said.  
"The, uh, Transfiguration revision? How's it going?"  
"Oh, that...Well, I haven't had any time to do it really."  
"Why not?" he asked with a concerned face.  
"Well I haven't had any free time for the past two weeks..." James was about to ask why, and what she had been doing that had made her so busy not to fit it into her schedule to revise for Transfiguration, but then he realised why not. He had forgotten that when McGonagall set detentions, it was all your free time gone: in your free period, time after dinner in the evenings, no watching Quidditch matches (although thankfully the next match had been rescheduled for next week, by which time her detentions would have finished, so she wasn't missing out). James instantly felt a rush of guilt.  
"Lily, I'm really sorry -"  
"Don't mention it," she said, cutting him off, as she twiddled her hands. It was an annoying habit she had when she was nervous or worried.  
"Well...maybe I could help you?" he said. She looked back up at him with her beautiful big eyes. _Please don't start shouting at me again_, he thought,_ or you'll get us both another two weeks worth of detentions..._

"Really? I mean, you're not too busy or anything, with Quidditch practices or anything?" she said, swiveling around to face him.  
"No, I'm never to busy to help Lily Evans out with a bit of homework," he smiled with a cheeky wink, as she nudged him in the arm, as he began to stand up. She followed his lead, blushing.  
"Thanks James," she mumbled, as she faced him. Instantly she remembered the moment when they were stood just as they were then, the whole of Gryffindor cheering them on after James had beaten her at that game of chess. She dismissed the memory, and tried her best _not_ to think about the terms of the bet she had willingly entered into. No, she was definitely _not _thinking about them kissing...

"Well, er, goodnight, Lily," he said, going against his instinct that was trying to drag him closer to her, as he walked away.  
"Night, James," she said, with a small smile. Stifling a yawn, she went over to the other corner of the room where Alice was. And she definitely did _not_ steal a glance at James tall, toned, muscular build as he ran up the stairs to the boy's dormitories, his signature crooked grin lighting up his handsome face.

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**AN: Guys! I am so so sorry to have kept you waiting all week for this chapter! Aahhhhh! Anyway, I hope it was worth the wait, I have just been so busy and I've had an awful case of writer's block! Hope you've all had a good week, the next chapter should be up soon (more Sirius and Lydia to look forward to!) Love you all! :D xx**


	14. Pride and Prejudice

**You know the drill...**

* * *

_WHY DOES LYDIA HAVE TO LOOK SO DAMN LONELY OVER THERE!_ Sirius thought, as James was explaining to Lily Evans about the hoo-hah over Snape attempting an Unforgiveable on a Hufflepuff first-year. But of course, Sirius had heard it all before: James had been rehearsing what he was going to say to her for the last hour and a half before Lily got let out of her detention with McGonagall. Sirius' thoughts were otherwise occupied.

Lydia Helsbury was sat on the corner desk in the common room, reading a Muggle book Sirius had never seen before. _Sirius Black you are __not__ going to go over to her! You can't even give yourself three valid reasons to go and see her. And I think James needs you to say something,_ he thought.

"Or you know, you could just say thanks," said Sirius with a wink. He always winked: for his personality, it never seemed out of place. _Reason 1: She needs saving from that bloody book. _James sat down on the plushy sofa next to Lily. _Reason 2: James needs alone time with Lily. Wouldn't want to gatecrash or anything._

Sirius, turned around, and began to walk away.  
"Hey, Padfoot, where're you going?" said James, frowning. Sirius continued smirking.  
"Oh nowhere, just going to leave you two alone, you know, cuddled up on the sofa, beside the fire…" he said, running towards the corner of the room.  
"Lydia!" he said, jumping into the seat opposite her. "Black," she mumbled, not lifting her head from her book.  
"Fancy going for a walk? You've been cooped up in this corner, reading that bloody book for _ages_ now. You need an escape, love." She looked up at him with her hazel-coloured eyes, her fringe sitting just above them. Her brown hair made her lips more red, although they were not smiling - yet.  
"By 'bloody' I hope you're not referring to the fact that this is a Muggle book?" she said, her eyebrows disappearing underneath her hair. Sirius wanted to apologise, but he had to maintain Sirius Black's image.  
"No, it's just that I'd save a pretty girl like you from a book any day..." he said with a wink, as she was laughed. She had shut her book and she was _laughing_. Sirius was filled with that warm feeling in his stomach again.  
She got up and started for the portrait hole. When she realised he hadn't followed, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along, still laughing.  
_Reason 3: She is completely, utterly, insanely gorgeous._

_..._

_(Song: Barcelona - COLOURS. watch?v=hfyfFFuOZ2Q)_

"Where is it exactly that we are walking to?" she asked, as she walked with the tall Sirius Black along the side of the Hogwarts castle. Frankly, Sirius was amazed that Lydia had not made any argument to the fact that if they were caught outside _now_, then they would have a week's worth of detentions each for being out of bed after hours.

Sirius didn't know how to answer her. He was as impulsive, spur-of-the-moment type of guy, he didn't tend to think things through before he said them - a bad habit of his. Of course, he didn't want to tell her this. "Oh, er, well I hadn't really had anywhere in particular in my mind..." he mumbled, and she smiled. His heart leapt. _No, heart. Bad heart. Stop jumping, she's just a bird. Stop that._

Sirius didn't want this to be awkward, so he started a conversation about the first thing he saw: the book that was still held to Lydia's chest. "That book of yours..."  
"Hmm?"  
"What's it about?" he said, hands in his pockets nervously.  
"You really want to know?" she said, a sly smile on her face.  
"Well, yes, unless there's something else you want to talk about."  
"Ok then. It's about this woman with a low-class family that is relatively looked down upon, and this stuck-up, cocky man who _clearly_ is in love with this woman, but this woman, at the start, positively _hates _him because of his mannerisms. They are two completely different people." Sirius pulled a glum face, recognizing the parallels to this story and his real life. "How does the story end then?" he sighed.  
"Well, I thought you were never supposed to tell what happens at the end of the story to someone who hasn't read it."  
"How do you know I've never read it?" he asked.  
Lydia laughed. "Because then you wouldn't have asked me to tell you what is was about, silly!"  
"I'm not silly!"  
"You so are!"

They were both laughing now, and Sirius loved every second of it. They went to sit over on a grassy ledge that overlooked the entire lake, reflecting the moon, that, thankfully wasn't full anymore. After sitting in silence for a while, recovering from their laughter, Lydia glanced at her old watch. "Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed, scrambling up onto her feet, making Sirius jump.  
"What's the matter?"  
"Look at the time!" she shouted, showing her battered old watch to Sirius, who saw that it was two hours gone their curfew. _And __this__ is why I never carry a watch around with me_, thought Sirius, who felt oblidged to also get up, as he began to follow Lydia back towards the castle.

When they finally reached the portrait hole of the Gryffindor common room, Lydia sighed "Cornish Pixie" breathlessly, as the Fat Lady yawned, swinging open. Sirius helped Lydia through the hole, and they realised that the common room was empty. The Marauder half expected her to sprint off up the staircase to the girl's dormitories without saying goodnight, but he was surprised.

Lydia turned around to face him, smiling. "Well thank you, my knight in shining armour, for saving me from that awfully ferocious book!" she said, sarcasm heavy in her tone, as she mocked a curtsy. Then, stretching onto her tiptoes, she placed a hand on his broad shoulder and kissed him swiftly on the cheek. "G'night, Sirius," she said, as she turned and walked up the staircase, leaving a stunned Sirius standing alone in the common room.

_How'd I never notice her before?_ thought Sirius, as he entered the dormitory, a wide grin on his face.

* * *

**Hello everyone, I have had some reviews this week asking about my dream cast for the lovely Lydia...Well, after some thoughts from my lovely friend Jo, I am pleased to announce that Mandy Moore will be Lydia (well, she is in my head.) Some of you will know Mandy from the voice of Rapunzel from Disney's 'Tangled', and some of you will know her as the school popular girl, Lana, from 'The Princess Diaries' but the moment when she stole our heart was when she was in a movie called 'A Walk to remember'. See picture link, hope you had fun reading this chapter, guys! And here is a link to Lydia** ( . /imgres?q=mandy+moore+a+walk+to+remember&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1AVSX_enGB402GB403&biw=1024&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=SPxCPlbfNnJrbM:&imgrefurl= . %3Ftopic%3D1500.1320&docid=BNU2WjT_LY8q_M&imgurl= Academics/Departments/AppliedTechnology/ComputerApps3/websites/A%252520Walk%252520To%252520Remember/a%252520walk%252520to%252520remember/1_ &w=512&h=372&ei=3mBUUL_BIoOl0QWV_ICwAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=95&vpy=328&dur=272&hovh=191&hovw=263&tx=209&ty=59&sig=116851456026924279776&page=2&tbnh=135&tbnw=172&start=16&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:16,s:16,i:191) **- Lol, it's such a long URL! :D xx**


	15. The Announcement

**Finally, here's the 15th chapter! Hope you enjoy :D**

* * *

"So, Lily, the Christmas holidays are coming up soon…" said Sirius, as he jumped into the seat opposite her, the stern-looking Librarian glaring at him, a crooked finger held to her lips. Lily didn't lift her head from looking at the rather large book she had been reading all afternoon, but she grunted in acknowledgement that he was there. "What's your point, Black?"  
"Well, I was just wondering what you're getting me for Christmas!" he said, his voice hopeful.  
"Who said I'm getting you anything for Christmas?" she said with a little laugh, slipping a thick leathery bookmark into the book, and slamming it shut.  
"Well, it's common courteousy to buy your friends a little something for Christmas, Evans!"  
"Oh, so because I'm not getting you anything for Christmas, you're back to calling me Evans? Ha!"

Lily got up from her seat and walked around the table, wandering over to one of the many bookstands, as Sirius neglected his chair and made his way to follow her. "Well, if it's because you're stuck for ideas of what to get me, then you don't have to worry, because I have 3 feet of parchment full of things I'd like!" he said, withdrawing a roll of parchment from under his sweater, unraveling it, and he began to read.  
"Firewhisky, Exploding Dungbombs, a new set of wizard's chess…"

Lily rolled her eyes as he spoke, and she held out her hand supporting the large book she had been reading. It began to magically lift itself up to the top shelf, but then stopped to hover before it got there. Lily frowned, and turned to Sirius, who had stopped reading his list out and was pointing his wand at the book, a sly grin widening on his face.  
"_Oh_, I get it!" he exclaimed. Lily remained confused.  
"Get what?" she said, as Sirius allowed the book to freely float back up to the top shelf to the place where it belongs.

"Isn't it blatantly obvious?!" Sirius began to walk towards the exit of the library, still smirking. Lily followed.

"What's blatantly obvious? I've just been catching up on some studying!" However, Sirius didn't feel like answering, so he began to pelt down the stairs towards the Great Hall. It was dinnertime after all.

Lily rolled her eyes, and struggled to keep up, and as she reached the last staircase, she found him sat on the cold stone ledge, legs dangling at least 20 feet above the ground, unable to go any further. "Staircase changed before I got here. Now we're going to be late for dinner," he said, still grinning.  
"Fine with me," quipped Lily, as she sat down on the ledge next to him. "Oh for goodness sake, Sirius, would you stop grinning like the Cheshire Cat and tell me what the problem is?!" she half-yelled.

"Grinning like the what?" he frowned.  
"Never mind. Just – stop smiling!"  
"My dear Lily, you can't tell a poor boy to stop having _fun_, can you?!" he laughed, as she hit him in the arm.  
"Not when you're keeping something from me!"

They sat there, waiting for the staircase to change for several minutes, and nobody said a thing. The warm, inviting light from the hall illuminated their shadows across the floor, and the smell was overwhelming the both of them. Sirius, however, clearly seemed to be enjoying it, and continued to smirk. "Transfiguration," he said, finally.  
"What about it?"  
"You were studying Transfiguration, even though James has offered to help you out with it."  
"Well, that doesn't mean that the only time I'll be studying Transfiguration will be with James!"  
"Doesn't it?"  
"No, of course not," she said, in an unconvincing tone. Sirius raised his eyebrows.  
"Oh, Lily. Lily, Lily, Lily…"  
"What?" she said, the colour flooding to her cheeks, almost knowing where this conversation was about to go.  
"You were studying so you don't look stupid next to James."  
"What?!" she yelled, as they both stood up, swinging their legs back round, as the staircase down to the Great Hall finally swung round to meet the ledge they had been sat on for the past few minutes. Once it finally came to a stop, after grinding against the ledge, they both began to walk down it: Sirius smirking, very casually, and Lily making a pattering sound as she stepped on each stone step.  
"I am perfectly capable at doing Transfiguration by myself thank you very much, and besides, James is only going to be _helping_ me to get better, not to completely wipe my current knowledge of the subject and start all over again, is he?" she exclaimed, as they both walked through the big wooden doors to the Great Hall, where the rest of the school were all already eating their dinner. A few heads turned to see them walk in arguing.

"Well, let's be honest, Lily, you need all the help you can get! Jamesy's doing you a favour!" he said with a wink.  
"Oh…sod off, Black," she said, as she sat down with her friends, and he sat down with the rest of the Marauders.

"Lily! We were wondering where you'd gotten to," said Alice, pushing the plate of chicken towards her.  
"Staircases," she remarked, as she began piling the clear, white chicken onto her plate, dolloping on the creamy sauce, and shoveling on some carrots and broccoli, as she began to tuck in.

"_Somebody's_ hungry," said Hestia, picking at the leftovers on her own plate grumpily.  
"What's up, Hestia? You seem a little down lately…" said Marlene softly.  
"Oh, nothing really. Except Sirius is done with me. You know, he actually came up to me yesterday _just_ to tell me that we're nothing more than 'friends'. I mean, who says that?! And now he's off talking to other girls -" Hestia gave a sharp look towards Lily, who was paying absolutely no attention and was busy eating away at some mashed potato. Alice stroked Hestia's shoulder affectionately, but Frank held his girlfriends hand, and turned away so Hestia wouldn't see his smirk. Lily smiled.

A few minutes passed with little interesting conversation, but by this point Hestia was completely distraught, attracting an awful lot of attention to herself. "You know what, Marlene? Life is completely pointless without love! And what is love anymore? Upper-class men looking down on their girlfriends like they're some sort of…scum? You know, at this point, I think I shall just end up as an ugly OLD hag! Forever alone, with my grandmother's cats!" she managed to wail between sad, melancholy sniffs. Their section of the long dining table was now strewn over with many crumpled up tissues, which nobody wanted to clear away. Over all the commotion directly next to her, Alice attempted conversation with her red-haired friend.

"So, Lily, how's your day been?" Alice winced, as Hestia let out another loud cry and began to sob heavily into Alice's blue cardigan. Lily sighed.  
"It's been ok, I guess. I was just up in the library studying when Sirius -"

"Even his bloody name breaks my heart!" shrieked Hestia, lifting her head from Alice's shoulder, now sporting a large dark patch of – well, Lily wasn't really sure, _but it had definitely come from Hestia's rather made-up face_, Lily thought. Alice rolled her eyes and tried to ignore it. "Go on, Lily?"  
"Well, never mind. Anyway, what about you two? What have you been up to today?" Lily said, reaching over to the jug of pumpkin juice and topping up her goblet.

"This morning we were on patrol, and we walked in on a very strange meeting between Professor Dumbledore and the-" before Alice could finish, the headmaster himself had interrupted.

…..

"Where've you been Sirius? Snogging the ginger behind the shed?" said Remus sarcastically. James gave him a rather evil look. Sirius laughed.  
"Haha, I think Prongs would kill me first?!" James punched him in the arm rather hard.  
"Anyway, I was talking to her about you…"  
"What were saying this time? 'Oh Lily, did you hear about the time when James slayed a dragon?'!"  
"Or was it 'Oh Lily, James' love for you burns like a dying phoenix?!" said Remus joining in.  
"No it wasn't! I was actually –"Sirius got cut off by a loud wail coming from Lily's direction of the table. The four boys looked over to see Hestia's big blonde head shaking into the headgirls' shoulder, wailing something about her life being completely and totally over. They all turned back to eat their food.  
"So, you finally confronted her then?" said Peter through a mouthful of chicken. Sirius nodded, shoveling mashed potato into his mouth ferociously.  
"As you can tell, Pete, she didn't take it too well," said Sirius.  
"I'm sure that's not the last we've heard of it. She'll be spreading more rumours about us sleeping together that will reach the second-year Hufflepuffs by tomorrow morning, and you know they're always the last to hear about anything.  
"Anyway, what were you saying about your conversation with Lily, Padfoot?" asked James casually, although the others all knew he was dying to hear about it.

"Well," he began, but once again he got cut off.

…..

"Excuse me, students, but I have a very important announcement to make!" he said, silencing the entire hall of students to a gentle hush.  
"Strange meeting between Dumbledore and who, Alice?!" said Lily across the table in a loud whisper. Alice frowned at her, and shook her head, curious as to what the headmaster was saying. Lily leaned back into her seat, and swiveled forward to face the front of the hall.

"As you will all know, over these past few months, the school has not been permitted by the Ministry of Magic to allow our students down on your monthly Hogsmede trip, for third-years and older, for a reason unbeknownst to us. You will be glad to know, that after a meeting with the Minster himself earlier today-"Alice and Lily shared a look.  
"-We are now allowed to send you back into the village on school trips. Professor McGonagall and I have arranged the following dates for one last trip before the Christmas holidays…" and he continued, but Lily was not listening.

So many questions were rousing in her head, but as she looked down the long wooden dining tables, she noticed four boys with their heads together, muttering furiously. As if aware that Lily was watching them, James lifted his head and gave her a small smile, which she returned. The Marauders then got up and swiftly walked out of the room in a haste. "I have to follow them," Lily said to herself, although Alice heard quite clearly.  
"You what?"  
"They're going to find out what's been going on, Alice. I'm going with them."  
"Oh no you are not!" Alice replied firmly, putting her pudding spoon down on the table with a clatter, making Frank jump.  
"You can't stop me, Alice."  
"Yes, I can! I'm headgirl!" Lily got up and started to make her way towards the exit. Alice reached out and grabbed her arm. "And I'm also your best friend," she said more softly.  
"Then by all means come with me!" Lily smiled, and continued towards the doors.  
"Erm, I hope you girls are including me in this!" said Frank, looping his arm through Alice's, who smiled back up at him affectionately.  
"Let's go," said Lily, and the three of them began to make their way toward the exit.

…..

"Now, let's think this through _properly_ for a moment, boys," said Remus firmly. James was busy rummaging through his drawers for the invisibility cloak, while Sirius just lounged on his bed, casually studying the map. "Which passageway is quickest, safest, and easiest to use?"  
"Easy," said Sirius. "One-eyed witch. It's not that difficult." Peter swung the wooden door open wide, so that the others could pile out and make their way down to the common room.  
"I don't think that's wise, Padfoot. It's too obvious, and it's right in the way, all the late-night lovers go there after curfew and we won't get there in time to bypass them-"  
"Hey, guys. Where you off to?" said Lily casually. She had been waiting in the common room with Alice and Frank for the Marauders to come downstairs.  
"None of your business," mumbled Pete, as they all seemed intent of climbing out of the portrait hole.  
"It is our business as we're coming with you."

All four turned around, looking startled. Remus, Sirius, and Pete all looked at James, who seemed torn at what to do. "Well -"he began, but Sirius nudged him in the back, with a loud cough. "Sorry guys," he interrupted. "No can do. We solve mysteries solo."  
"What? You have finally merged into one person now?!" said Lily firing up, "We're coming with you whether you like it or not." James sighed and turned around to face the other three boys. They huddled together and murmured for several moments, sometimes looking up precautiously at Lily, who had her arms crossed, as if waiting for children to make their minds up for what they wanted for dinner.

…

"Nope. Prongs, I know you fancy her, but there is _no_ way that we are letting them join in with this!" said Sirius stubbornly. James sighed.

"Well what are we going to tell them? 'No you can't because you can't fit underneath the shiny silver blanket?'"

"Do you mean the invisibility cloak?" replied Peter loudly, and the others 'shushed' him abruptly.  
"It was a joke, Wormtail!" said Remus. "And what about the other two? If they found out about all our passageways and…_stuff_, I mean, they're headboy and headgirl!"  
"Good point, that, Moony: he has a point Prongs!" said Sirius turning from one to the other as he talked.

"And how can we use the map without them knowing? I mean, we'd be trying to get the bloody job done with them lot asking us loads of questions! It's too dangerous, Prongs," Remus continued, ignoring Sirius' comment.  
"Well, we could just use the map under the invisibility cloak. We could split up?" James protested.  
"Prongs, I really don't think it's going to work out. But you have the deciding vote, as always."  
"Just this once guys? And, you never know, having a few extra brains could come in handy!"  
"Fine."  
"Fine."  
"Fine."

…

"Fine. You can come, just this once," said James, but Sirius and Remus still looked uneasy.

"But you've got to promise that you won't get us caught, that you won't question _anything_, and you do not repeat anything you hear us say. You tell _no one_. Ok?" Lily, Alice, and Frank nodded. "Great. Let's go."

The Gryffindors clambered out of the portrait hole and ran down the long staircases as quickly as they could, but pushing against the flow of the crowds of students trying to get up to their common room was difficult. Lily was just about agile enough to keep up with the rest of the Gryffindors, but when they got to a particularly busy staircase, James and the others, seemed to have disappeared. She scanned the top of the crowd frantically, searching for that messy black hair, but it was nowhere to be found. Out of the blue, somebody grabbed the hood on her jacket and pulled her right out of the yellow and black crowd of Hufflepuffs, to behind a large tapestry of a unicorn.

"Thank you!" she breathed, recovering from the initial shock, as the Marauders, Alice, and Frank were all smiling back at her. James loosened his grip on her hood and patted her friendlily on the head, beaming back at her. Lily's mind was momentarily numbed, and she didn't know how to respond.

"Okay, so what's the plan now?"  
"Well, we've decided to come back up from Hogsmede via the One-Eyed Witch passageway, but we're not sure which the best way to get there is," updated Remus, checking his watch.  
"Well, there's the one we haven't tried yet! I keep telling you guys we need to see where it goes, now could be our chance!" exclaimed Sirius, but James seemed unsure.  
"Sirius, it's too dangerous."  
"Come on, as if we aren't being dangerous enough already taking 7 of us undercover into Hogsmede!" said Remus, and it was obvious he had rolled his eyes from the sarcasm in his tone, even if the poor light through the tapestry hid his face.  
"James, it could be our only choice, and we have to move quickly, curfew's coming up any minute now and some of these passageways are on the other side of the school. Make a decision, 'Oh mighty leader!'" It was now James' turn to roll his eyes at his best friends' input as Lily laughed.

Moments later, they were all dashing out of the tapestry and racing as fast as they could following Sirius as he lead the way to the passage. After years under James' strict Quidditch training plan, Sirius had not contemplated that some people may not be able to keep up as they raced across the castle at such a quick pace. The Gryffindors were just about to clamber up a staircase to the fourth floor, and Peter was clearly lagging behind but all of a sudden, they halted abruptly.

"Excuse me, Mr. Black, where do you think you're going at this time of night? After six years in this school, I would hope you know your common room is on the other side of the castle?" said Professor Slughorn, blocking their way. A look of panic crossed the Marauders faces.

"Don't worry, professor. Frank and I were just escorting these Gryffindors somewhere. Official Hogwarts business, you know? After all, we are headboy and headgirl!" said Alice, stepping in.

"Of course, Miss Prewett. I should have known: you are too sensible to be doing irresponsible things at this time. Goodnight, ladies and gentlemen." Slughorn continued walking past the Gryffindors and along another corridor, as they sighed in relief. Alice blushed.  
"Well done Alice!" said James, clapping her lightly on the shoulder. She smiled. James smirked as he whispered in his friend's ear "I _told_ you it was a good idea to bring them along!"

"So where is this passageway then, Sirius?" asked Lily, as they all clambered to the top of the stone staircase.  
"Right here."

Sirius gave a rather large mirror a firm poke on the side, and it instantly swung open. Seven heads appeared around the entrance hole, frowning.

"Are you sure about this?"  
"Nope. Ah well, there's a first time for everything, right! Wands out, everyone." Sirius clambered into the hole, and the others followed. "Lumos!" said Lily, illuminating a small room, as the mirror banged shut behind them. The seven of them barely fit in there, and all of the boys (excluding Peter) had to bend down slightly, as their heads touched the ceiling.  
"Well, this is awkward!" exclaimed Peter, squashed into a corner of the room behind Sirius.  
"Shut up, Wormtail, I'm not that fat!"

"Ow, Frank, that's my foot!" squealed Alice.  
"Sorry, love!"

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather you two _didn't_ get it on when we are in such a confined space, Thank you!" quipped Sirius from his position from his corner near the couple.

"James, I hope that's not your hand near my -"  
"Funny how quickly your mind jumps to James 'ay Lily?!" said Sirius, nudging the person where Lily's voice came from. She scoffed, as James quickly jumped in.

"Peter, you should at _least_ buy the lady a drink before getting to that stage, mate!"  
"I'm on the other side of the room, Prongs!"  
"_Yeah_, Prongs, what d'you say to _that_?!" teased Sirius.  
"James…" warned Lily.  
"Nope, that was _definitely_ not me -"

"OI! EVERYONE SHUT UP! We have a job that needs doing tonight and if we don't find a way to get out of this bloody room -" As soon as Remus spoke, Peter's hand pushed right into the corner of the small room, and the floor disappeared from underneath them, and chaos reigned.

* * *

**AN: First of all, ****_sorry_**** it's taken me so long to update! As those of you part of the Jily/TLAT fandom will know, Jewels5 recently updated her amazing asdfghjkl story (if you don't know what I'm on about, then take a look in my 'favourite stories'!), which kind of gave me a kick up the butt to carry on writing. Secondly, I wanted to thank writingdownsouth for her awesome support throughout the month and a bit which I haven't updated in! Lastly, please ****_please_**** review, and let me know if you enjoy it! Also, if have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Thank you all for bearing with me, hopefully the next few chapters will have less of a gap between my updates! Lots of love, BetsyPie :D xx**


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